What does facet joint injection treat?

Facet joints guide movement between the bones of the spine. Wear, irritation, or overload may contribute to local neck pain or back pain, sometimes with stiffness and pain on twisting or extending. A facet injection places local anaesthetic, often with a corticosteroid, into or near a selected joint. It may be considered in facet joint syndrome, cervical spondylosis, or lumbar spondylosis after clinical assessment.

A short-lived change from the anaesthetic can give useful diagnostic information, while the corticosteroid may calm inflammation for longer. The injection does not rebuild a worn joint or treat every cause of spinal pain. Your clinician may combine it with exercise, activity changes, and other rehabilitation.

Share your medicines, allergies, infection history, and any bleeding or blood-sugar concerns before the procedure. Follow the service's instructions about food, transport, and medicines. Afterward, record changes in pain and movement, avoid strenuous activity until advised, and resume the rehabilitation plan at the recommended pace.

Get urgent advice for new weakness, worsening numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever, severe unrelenting pain, or increasing redness and swelling at the injection site. Emergency symptoms include fainting, breathing difficulty, facial swelling, or sudden loss of coordination.

Ask which facet joint is suspected, what improvement would support the diagnosis, and what alternatives are available. Discuss activity restrictions, how results will guide rehabilitation, and whether radiofrequency ablation might be considered if pain returns.