When facet joints regularly found around the spine are inflamed, a facet joint injection is administered to relieve the irritation and diagnose where the patients pain is coming from. Once the skin and tissue above the facet joint is thoroughly numbed with local anesthetic, the physician will use a fluoroscope to insert a needle into the facet joint. The proper positioning of the needle is confirmed with the injection of contrast dye and a soothing and numbing combination of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory steroid is injected. If the pain in the facet joint is relieved upon administration of the medication,the physician will then infer that that particular facet joint is the cause of pain. The anesthetic will begin to wear off in time but the steroid will continue to relieve pain and inflammation for up to several months. Our physicians can treat continuing pain by administering up to three injections a year.
