How does facet joint injection work?

Facet joints sit at the back of the spine and help guide movement between adjacent vertebrae. A needle is directed to the selected joint or its nearby nerve supply. Local anaesthetic can briefly interrupt pain signals, while corticosteroid may calm local irritation. A clear but temporary change in the familiar pain can give useful information about whether that joint is contributing to symptoms.

Facet joint pain can occur with facet joint syndrome or age-related changes such as cervical or lumbar spondylosis. The injection does not rebuild cartilage or reverse spinal wear. Results are interpreted alongside your history and examination rather than used alone to name the cause of every back or neck symptom.

Tell the clinician about blood-thinning medicines, allergies, diabetes, infection, and pregnancy possibility. Follow instructions about food, medicines, transport, and activity. Note the location and intensity of your usual pain before the injection, then record what changes during the early anaesthetic period and over the following days. Gentle movement is usually introduced according to the treating team's advice.

Get urgent help for new limb weakness, difficulty walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, fever with worsening spinal pain, or severe breathing or allergic symptoms. Contact the clinic for increasing redness, drainage, severe pain, or a headache that does not settle after the procedure.

Ask which joint is being targeted, whether the injection is mainly diagnostic or therapeutic, and how you should record the response. Discuss activity limits, medicine adjustments, and what options may follow if pain returns, including radiofrequency ablation when appropriate.