Facet Joint Injections

Facet joints allow movement and stabilise the spine. Wear and tear, inflammation and injury to the facet joints may cause pain in some people. A facet joint procedure is an injection around or into the small joints that link the bones of the spine together. It is used for localised spinal pain where simpler measures have not helped. Several injections to different facet joints may be needed depending on the site of pain.

 The injection provides information to the consultant regarding the origin of your pain.

It can help your pain by reducing some of the pain signals from the joint and although pain relief may be short-lived, some people can get significant and long-lasting pain relief from these injections. The injection contains local anaesthetic often with a small amount of steroid. The injection is usually undertaken alongside other treatments such as physiotherapy