Immediately after facet joint injections, it is not uncommon for patients to experience some pain and bruising at the injection site. This is normal and should resolve within a few days. You may also be given an ice pack or a compression bandage to relieve any swelling. If the injection into the facet joint is successful, you should expect to experience pain relief for several months.
Keep in mind that all patients react differently. You may experience total pain relief or just a little or no pain at all. After we send you home, you may feel some pain at the injection sites, which is perfectly normal. Take it easy on the day we give you the facet joint injections, but you should be able to resume your normal activities the next day. Facet joint injections have been shown to be effective in relieving facet joint pain in many patients.
This procedure can help control symptoms, whether the pain is due to trauma, arthritis, or a degenerative condition, but you should consider the possible side effects of facet joint injections. Soon after the injection, you may notice that the pain may go away or decrease significantly. This is due to the effect of the local anesthetic and lasts only a few hours. The pain may return and you may feel some pain at the injection site for about a day. You should start to notice pain relief about 1 to 2 days after the procedure.
A facet joint injection is an injection made into the facet joints of the vertebral column consisting of an anesthetic and a corticosteroid. You're more likely to notice faster relief if the joints where the injection was given were the main source of pain. Very small needles are placed inside the joint capsule and a small volume (usually about 1 ml) is placed in each joint. Sometimes, injections can cause increased facet joint pain for the first few days before relief finally occurs. However, the results can still vary quite a bit, as some patients may find that facet injections have an almost immediate effect, while others may not see any improvement.
As the pain decreases, you can add more strenuous activities to your routine to help strengthen the muscles surrounding your facet joints. The Spinal Diagnostics team knows when facet joint injections can help restore pain-free movement, and we've helped many patients regain their quality of life with this relatively simple treatment. If this is the case, facet joint injections provide the first line of defense against this type of back and neck pain. Facet joints are similar to other joints in the body and are equally susceptible to injury or wear and tear, such as arthritis, infections or impact trauma. We'll thoroughly review all the possible side effects of facet joint injections and address any questions or concerns you may have.