At NGPG, we understand how important pain relief can be when performing day-to-day activities. Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Interventional Pain Medicine providers offer a wealth of experience and effective options for pain management. For diagnosis and treatment of back pain that hasn’t been resolved using traditional methods, we offer our patients across North Georgia access to facet injection treatment.
The goal of treatment with facet injections is to reduce inflammation and pain in the facet joints of the spine, and to improve range of motion.
Your NGPG Pain Medicine provider will work with your other medical providers to form a plan of treatment. Facet injections are often administered along with other therapies such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications to provide optimal pain relief.
What are facet injections?
A facet injection, also known as a facet joint injection, is a nonsurgical therapy used at NGPG Pain Medicine to diagnose and treat facet joint pain. The facet joints are located on the spine and, when injured, can cause severe back pain.
When using a facet joint injection as a diagnostic tool, your pain management doctor is trying to determine if damage to the facet joint is causing your pain. If the injection relieves your pain, it will confirm that damage to your facet joints is to blame.
Facet joint injections are often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication to provide optimal relief.
Who should get facet injections?
Facet injections are generally recommended for people who are experiencing chronic and severe spinal pain that stem from facet joint issues. Common candidates may include those with:
- Thick Facet Joints: You may be a candidate for a facet joint injection if you have arthritic or thickened facet joints along with chronic back or neck pain.
- Injuries: You may also be a candidate for a facet joint injection if you have whiplash or other traumatic injuries to the neck or back.
- Degenerative Conditions: You may be a candidate if you have a condition like osteoarthritis, spondylolysis or spinal stenosis.
Who performs facet injections?
Facet injections are typically performed by physicians with training pain management or spine care. Your NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine provider will perform your facet injection as an in-office procedure. Our team is specially trained to administer your injection and help you find pain relief and get back to day-to-day activities quickly.
What are the advantages of facet injections?
Facet injections offer a nonsurgical pain management option for people who haven’t found relief with traditional methods. Some of the major advantages of facet injections for pain management include:
- Simple, non-invasive procedure
- Pain relief directly in affected areas
- Minimal or no side effects
- Improved mobility post-injection
- Potential for long-term relief
NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine typically administers facet injections in combination with other treatments like physical therapy.
What are the risks of facet injection?
Like with many medical procedures, facet injections can pose risk, although the likelihood of complications is low. Some potential risks include temporary soreness to injection site, numbness on the side of the injection and swelling.
What happens during my facet injection?
A facet injection takes between 20 to 30 minutes for the injection and 45 minutes to recover before you can go home. Your back will likely be sore after the procedure for a few days. When possible, take time off from work or your normal activities during the healing period. On procedure day, you can expect the following steps:
- Anesthesia: In preparation for the procedure, your provider will use numbing medicine around the injection site.
- Insertion: You will lie on a table, and your doctor will slowly inject a mixture of anti-inflammatory medication and anesthetic directly into the facet joint.
- Monitoring Period: Your provider will have you remain under supervision for 30 to 45 minutes to ensure you don’t have an abnormal reaction, then you will be allowed to go home.
- Post-Injection: Your back may be sore for a few days following the procedure, and it may take about a week to get back to normal activities.
While a facet joint injection helps relieve pain, it is not a cure. Typically, patients need one to two injections every six months. Most patients experience a few months of pain relief after each injection.
Choose NGPG for Facet Injection
If you or a loved one are struggling to manage your pain with over-the-counter medications alone, ask your provider about facet injections. If you are ready to get back to life pain-free, you can rely on our team at NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine to provide you with advanced and effective pain management options for your symptoms.
Our team of pain experts are dedicated to providing the latest and greatest treatments for our patients across North Georgia. For pain caused by back injuries, thickened facet joints or conditions like spinal arthritis, trust NGPG Interventional Pain Medicine to help you find relief with epidural steroid injections.