FACET JOINT/MBB TREATMENTS

Facet joint treatments

Facet joints are pairs of joints down the length of the spine. Like other joints in the body, facet joints can become inflamed and cause pain. When a facet joint is inflamed, injured or arthritic (begins to break down), it can cause a very painful condition called Facet Joint Syndrome. This can happen in the neck or the back.

Facet Joint Injections

An injection into the Facet Joint can be very effective in treating neck or back pain. The patient stays awake for this minimally invasive procedure.

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Your doctor will numb the injection with a local anesthesia and then use an X-Ray to determine the location of the affected joint. The physician will then put medication directly on the joint. Most patients experience little to no discomfort during the procedure. The process usually takes about 10-15 minutes, followed by a brief recovery period to monitor the patient before being discharged home. Physicians recommend resting immediately following the injection, but patients can typically return to normal activities the following day.

Medial Branch Block

A medial branch is a small nerve that feeds out from the facet joints in the spine and carry pain signals to the brain. The idea of a Medial Branch Block is to numb pain in the medial branch nerves. A block is an injection with temporary results. It’s often used to see if other, more permanent treatments would effectively treat a patient’s pain symptoms.

Procedure