What is a Spine Facet Injection?

A spine facet injection is a pain treatment procedure in which a doctor injects local anesthetic alone or in combination with an anti-inflammatory steroid into a painful facet joint. The injection works by numbing the facet joints and blocking further pain. The minimally invasive procedure relieves pain and restores spine function.

A facet joint allows twisting movements, bending and flexing forward, and extending and bending backward. To reduce friction, the pairs of joints have cartilage covering the surfaces that come into contact with bones and synovial fluid to allow easy movement. Various conditions cause inflammation of the joints, creating incapacitating back pain.

If you’re in New York, Dr. Ilana Etelzon diagnoses and treats any spinal condition causing back or neck pain. The pain management physician uses advanced procedures such as spine facet injections to help relieve pain and improve your quality of life.

How Does a Spine Facet Injection Relieve Pain?

A spine facet injection, also called a medial branch block, decreases pain by reducing inflammation surrounding the facet nerves. The pain block treatment works with:

Numbing effects. Anesthetic in the injection numbs the irritated area of the joint to relieve pain and allow you to do normal daily activities more comfortably.
Reduced inflammation. The injection cuts down on the swelling surrounding the joint and the nerves, called the medial branches, that cause the pain.
Diagnostic goals. A spine facet injection helps to diagnosis the origin of pain in your spine facet joint. Your doctor administers a small amount of medication into the joint and observes the extent of pain relief.

If you experienced a positive response from a facet injection, you may then qualify for radiofrequency ablation for long-term pain relief. typically prefers to use a multi-disciplinary and minimally invasive approach to treat pain. Other procedures Dr. Etelzon employs to treat pain include:

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What Are Types of Spine Facet Injections?

Doctors classify spine facet joint injections based on the location of the pain. Your pain specialist may use the spinal treatment to treat lower back, middle back or neck pain. Various spine injection procedures include:

Cervical facet joint injections
Thoracic facet joint injections
Lumbar facet joint injections

Before the procedure, your experienced and highly trained NYC back pain specialist carries out extensive diagnostic tests to determine the source of your back pain before administering the spine facet injections.

Am I a Candidate for Spine Facet Joint Injection?

Indicators that you’re a good candidate for spine facet injections may include:

If you’ve been suffering from chronic pain
If your spinal pain affects your back movements
If you’re suffering from stiffness and reduced range of motion
If you’ve tried conservative treatments like physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication with no lasting results

Dr. Etelzon discusses every aspect of the pain treatment procedures recommended to put you at ease and prepare you for the treatment.

What’s the Procedure for a Spine Facet Joint Injection?

A spine facet joint injection is an in-office procedure. Every patient has a unique spine and different spinal conditions but the main steps your pain doctor uses include:

Prior consultations and thorough medical review are completed before arriving at a firm diagnosis.
Before the procedure begins, the treatment area is numbed with a local anesthetic to reduce discomfort and the doctor observes you for 10 to 15 minutes.
You lie on your stomach as an assistant prepares your back.
Fluoroscopy is used to guide the injection needle to the inflamed joint before injecting the pain medication.
After the procedure, your doctor observes you for about half an hour.
You feel a reduction in pain a few hours after the injection.
Your doctor may recommend a repeat facet joint injection based on your diagnosis and your pain level in follow-up visits.

If you’re ready to enjoy pain relief, talk to Dr. Ilana Etelzon at her NYC office about spine facet joint injections, which for many is a life-changing treatment. Contact the pain treatment clinic today and start a pain-free life.

Patient Testimonials

Patient Doctor Relationships Based on Trust

Dr. Etelzon always makes sure you are comfortable and leave her office with less pain you came in. She gets to the root of the problem. She's friendly. Clean office environment. No long waits, efficient visit. Highly satisfied with my treatment plan.
Jacqueline Rodriguez Patient
Doctor Etelzon is very knowledgeable and really cares about her patients. She will take her time to discuss patients problem, answer questions and use her expertise to help. Dr. Etelzon maintains a friendly , clean , and efficient office environment.
Narik Fuzailov Patient
Helped me with my pain! Great bedside manner. Highly recommend this doctor.
Anonymous Patient
Dr.Etelzon is very knowledgeable and caring and has hands of hold! She was so thorough in her examination and really sees and hears the patient and determines a customized treatment. Thank you, Dr.Etelzon!
Anonymous Patient
Dr. Ilana Etelzon thank you for your help, you have golden hands. Very attentive and knowledgeable doctor. The office staff is friendly and kind, you girls are beautiful.
Valeriy Shek Patient (Google Review)
Dear Doctor Etelzon, Thank you again. I am starting to feel more like myself again...I couldn't say the problem is totally gone, but a big weight has been lifted...Today...I decided to go and do my nails which I did not do for a long time after the incident. I also asked my daughter if we could go to the park. These are things I normally enjoy but forgot about them for a few months now.
Anonymous Patient

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