Facet Joint Injections
Download the Cervical Facet Injection treatment handout
Download the Lumbar Facet Injection treatment handout
Facet joint injections are usually done for patients who have pain due to arthritis in the spine. They are also commonly done for people who have whiplash injury in the neck or low back, such as occurs during a car accident or fall. Facet blocks are named spine area in which they are performed: cervical, thoracic, or lumbar.
A combination of a steroid and numbing medication is usually injected through the soft tissue that surrounds the facet joint. Facet joints connect one spinal segment to the next level and allow the spine to bend and twist. In some cases, platelet-rich plasma or other regenerative medicine treatments are used in combination with facet injections. For more information on this important treatment, ask your provider at ASAP.