Facet
Joint Injections for Red Bank, NJ Pain Management
With
an emphasis on conservative, minimally invasive strategies for
pain management, Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation offers Facet
Joint Injections to relieve pain and inflammation in the joints
of the spine. This procedure is also used to make more accurate
diagnoses of the causes and exact location of back pain.
Facet
Joint Injections
The
facet joints are found in pairs between the individual bones of
the spine (the vertebrae). There are 25 pairs of facet joints
in total. They provide stability; help support weight; and control
and guide movement of the spine. A number of conditions can affect
the facet joints, leading to pain and inflammation. Degenerative
conditions such as arthritis are
a main culprit in joint-related back
and neck pain.
Mechanical
stress can lead to pain and inflammation. Because the spine is
a load-bearing structure, any abnormal alignment of the spine
(such as misalignments due to poor posture) can lead to atypical
loading in the back and neck. Osteoarthritis is often caused by
mechanical stress when, over time, the bones of the spine are
forced to remodel to accommodate this unnatural burden of weight.
Mechanical stress can also be caused by improper lifting or other
trauma to the back.
For
the relief of pain in the joints of the spine, injections of a
long-lasting steroid are administered in the cervical spine (the
neck); thoracic spine (the middle segment of the vertebral column);
or in the lumbar spine (lower back). Facet Joint Injections are
not used with the intention of correcting any condition or illness
that is causing pain; rather, this treatment allows patients the
opportunity to use physical therapy practices or chiropractic
care to rehabilitate.
The
purpose of Facet Joint Injections is to help the body heal without
surgery or prolonged drug use.
Facet
Joint Injections are also sometimes used to make more exact and
accurate diagnoses. In such cases, the facet joint is filled with
an anesthetic numbing agent. This medication works to numb the
joint, ligaments, and capsule around the joint. If pain is temporarily
eliminated by this action, the precise area of pain can be pinpointed.
This serves as a jumping-off position from which treatment options
can be discussed; it also leads to more effective and targeted
strategies of pain management.
Facet
Joint Injections at Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation