Joint and Trigger Point Injections

Two of the most effective nonsurgical treatments for chronic or acute back pain that cannot be controlled by pharmacologic and physical therapies alone are facet injections and trigger point injections. Both are often utilized by the skilled pain management specialists at Restorative Physical Medicine (RPM).

Facet Joint Injections
Facet injections target and temporarily relieve pain and inflammation of the facet joints of the spine. These are located on the top and bottom of each vertebra, connecting the vertebrae to form the spine and, thus, allowing back motion.

Facet injection treatments involve injecting corticosteroid and anesthetic medication into the facet joint capsule or its surrounding tissue, thereby helping relieve pain in the neck, lower back, or legs. Facet injections are also used to confirm whether your pain is actually originating in a facet joint.

Facet pain and inflammation can be caused by:

• Arthritis
• Herniated disc
• Sciatica
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolysis

Facet joint injections are performed as an outpatient procedure. Usually, it requires the use of fluoroscopy, X-rays to study moving body structures, to pinpoint the exact source of your pain and guide the placement of the injection. Your doctor sterilizes and numbs the injection site, then delivers the medication into the facet joint capsule.

Immediately following the procedure, you will be able to walk but should not overexert yourself for the next few days. Joint injections are effective in about half of all patients, providing symptom relief for at least several days or up to a few months. If successful, the procedure may be repeated up to three times per year.

Trigger Point Injections

Trigger points are small areas in a muscle that are extremely sensitive to touch or pressure. They are commonly caused by an injury, overexertion, muscle tension, or a muscle spasm and frequently occur in the neck, back, or shoulders.

Trigger point injections are a safe and easy way to relax the tight bands that form when an affected muscle fails to loosen naturally. Your doctor inserts a small needle directly into the trigger point and injects medication that contains a mixture of anesthetic and steroid. This renders the trigger point inactive, thus providing temporary pain relief.

The procedure, which only takes a few minutes, can be repeated several times in various trigger points. Immediately after the injections, you can actively use your muscle, but should avoid strenuous activity for a few days.

In addition to relieving muscle pain in the arms, legs, lower back, and neck, trigger point injections can be used to treat fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and myofascial pain.