Lumbar Facet Joint Injections

Lumbar Facet Joint Injections (FJ) blocks are a common treatment for back pain and painful muscular spasm. The facet joints are responsible for allowing movement of the spine such as flexion, extension and rotation.

Conditions such as advancing arthritis, trauma, scoliosis, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis can predispose the patient to development of painful Facet Joint Arthropathy (FJ).

Typical FJ pain is located lateral to the midline of the spine in the lower back and may be associated with severe muscular spasm. The pain can radiate to the referral zone of the facet level involved (ie. the L4-L5 facet joint can induce pain and spasm in the lower back, upper buttocks, extending through the thighs and knees). An associated Myofascial Pain Syndrome (painful muscle spasm) can develop which is very debilitating and may lead to depression.

If conservative therapy has failed to relieve your pain (including epidural injections, sacroiliac or trigger point injections), it is reasonable to perform diagnostic-therapeutic facet joint injection (FJ). Relief of pain by precise X ray targeting of the joint or the nerve to the joint can confirm the diagnosis. Hopefully, by breaking the cycle of pain and reducing the joint inflammation, relief can be permanent.

Your pain doctor may design a therapeutic program to deal with residual or recurrent pain. This may include appropriately spaced, interval injections combined with physical therapy techniques.

Lumbar Facet Joint Injection

The injections are minimally uncomfortable. Your doctor will use a local anesthetic and “twilight sedation” (monitored anesthesia care) during the procedure. Complications are very rare but may occur. You may wish to discuss these with your doctor in greater detail.