Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Require Surgery?
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All About Facet Joint Injections for Neck Pain
Imagine waking up with a stiff neck after a restless night of sleep. At first, you chalk it up to a bad pillow or a little too much time hunched over your laptop.
But as the days go by, the stiffness doesn’t fade — it gets worse. Turning your head while driving feels awkward, working at your desk is uncomfortable, and even simple movements bring sharp twinges of pain.
For many people, this kind of lingering neck pain is tied to the facet joints, the small joints in the spine that help you bend and twist. When these joints become inflamed or irritated, the discomfort can be persistent.
But most don’t know about facet joints or that there’s a targeted treatment that relieves this type of pain condition almost instantly.
That’s what Dr. David Wu and our team at CurePain are covering in this blog.
What are facet joints?
Facet joints are pairs of small joints located between each set of vertebrae in the spine. They help guide motion and provide stability. Like other joints in the body, they’re lined with cartilage and surrounded by a capsule of fluid, which allows for smooth movement.
When facet joints in the cervical spine (the neck region) become arthritic, inflamed, or injured, they can cause localized pain and sometimes radiating discomfort into the shoulders or upper back.
So what you think is just a stiff neck or the result of a bad night of sleep, is actually your body telling you that an underlying issue is at play.
How do you treat facet joint pain?
We treat facet joint pain with facet joint injections. These injections are both a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.
It involves injecting a small amount of local anesthetic, often combined with an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, directly into the facet joint.
The purpose is twofold: To confirm whether the facet joint is the source of pain and to reduce inflammation and provide relief.
If the injection significantly reduces your pain, it’s a strong sign that the facet joint is the underlying cause.
Facet joint injections may be an option if you have:
- Chronic neck pain that hasn’t improved with conservative care
- Suspected facet joint arthritis or inflammation
- Pain that worsens with twisting or extension of the neck
We usually consider them first-line treatments when other conservative methods, such as physical therapy, medications, and lifestyle adjustments, haven’t brought enough relief.
How the injections work
We perform facet joint injections in a clinic or outpatient setting. First, you’ll lie on your stomach or back, depending on the injection site, and we clean and numb the skin with a local anesthetic.
Then, using X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy), Dr. Wu places a thin needle into the facet joint and injects a small amount of contrast dye to ensure correct placement.
Next, we inject the medication directly into the joint.
The procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes, and most patients can go home the same day.
Do facet joint injections work?
The effectiveness varies from person to person. The steroid medication often takes a few days to start working, and results may last anywhere from several weeks to a few months.
Facet joint injections are beneficial for patients whose pain stems from arthritis or inflammation in the joints, rather than from disc problems or nerve compression.
If the injections provide significant relief, we recommend repeating the treatments or considering other procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation, for longer-lasting results.
After the injection, you may feel some soreness at the site, but this usually resolves quickly. Most people can return to light activity the same day and resume normal activities within 24 hours. Consider keeping a pain diary for a few days to track how your symptoms respond to treatment.
Are facet joint injections safe?
Facet joint injections are generally safe, but as with any procedure, there are potential risks. These may include:
- Temporary pain at the injection site
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Allergic reaction to the medication or contrast dye
We always review your medical history to ensure the procedure is safe for you.
Nixing neck pain for good
Facet joint injections aren’t a cure for neck pain, but they can be a powerful tool for both diagnosis and relief. If neck pain is interfering with your daily life, talking to our pain management specialist about whether this option is right for you could be the next step toward comfort and mobility.
Call our friendly staff or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation today, and let’s get to the bottom of your neck pain.
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