Experience Targeted Relief from Arthritis-Related Back Pain with Brooklyn’s Leading Intra-Articular Facet Injection Specialists

Living with chronic back pain from arthritis can feel like an endless cycle of discomfort that limits your daily activities and diminishes your quality of life. For Brooklyn residents seeking effective, minimally invasive treatment options, facet joint injections are commonly performed to diagnose and manage facet joint pain (also referred to as lumbar spondylosis or zygapophyseal joint pain), offering hope for those who have struggled with traditional pain management approaches.

Understanding Intra-Articular Facet Injections

An Interarticular facet injection entails the injection of a small amount of medications into the joints in the back of the spine, which gives patients their mobility and reduces pain. These specialized procedures target the small joints located between the vertebrae of your spine, which are often the source of chronic back pain in patients with arthritis.

It works by reducing the inflammation of the joints that may be due to arthritic changes or tears of the ligaments that hold the joint together. The treatment involves precise placement of medication directly into the affected joint space, providing both diagnostic information and therapeutic relief.

Who Benefits from Facet Joint Injections?

Facet mediated pain has been implicated as the source of patient’s axial discomfort (located around the midline of the spine) in 20-45% of patients with low back pain, 50% of patients with thoracic pain and 50-70% of patients with cervical pain. In fact, up to 45% of patients experiencing lower back pain also have issues with their lumbar facet joints.

Indications for diagnostic facet joint injections include strong suspicion for the pain of facet joint etiology (focal tenderness over the facet joint, pain in response to hyperextension, rotational movement, or bending laterally, leg pain not extending below the knee), chronic low back pain, neck pain not relieved with conservative management, low back pain with normal imaging, neck pain in the setting of a whiplash injury, post-laminectomy syndrome without evidence of arachnoiditis or recurrent disc disease, facet joint synovial cyst rupture, conservative management for vertebral compression fracture, and symptomatic spondylolysis.

The Precision Treatment Process

Facet joint injections are minimally invasive treatments that are typically performed in an outpatient surgical center or at a doctor’s office. Patients remain awake throughout the process and go home on the same day after a brief observational period.

The injection needle is then placed under live x-ray (fluoroscopy) guidance into the joint. Once the needle is in the correct position, the medication will be injected. Typically we use a combination of local anesthetic and steroid as the injection medication.

The entire procedure is remarkably efficient, with approximately 5-20 minutes depending on the number of joints that are treated. The injection itself does not hurt, as patients receive local anesthesia to ensure comfort throughout the treatment.

Expected Outcomes and Duration of Relief

Facet joint injections relieve pain and improve mobility in approximately 50% to 75% of patients. Intra-articular injections typically provide short-term relief for around 2-4 months, though typically, injections containing anesthetic and corticosteroid medications offer relief for 2 to 4 months or longer.

For patients who experience significant but temporary relief, if the pain relief is not lasting for a longer amount of time after a facet joint injection, the next step is typically a radiofrequency ablation procedure. When that works well, it can provide pain control that lasts six months to a year.

Safety and Minimal Risk Profile

Overall, facet joint interventions are considered to be moderate to low risk procedures. Complications from image-guided facet joint injections are rare. Generally speaking, facet injections are safe, making them an attractive option for patients seeking effective pain management without the risks associated with more invasive procedures.

NY Spine Medicine: Your Brooklyn Area Partner in Pain Management

NY Spine Medicine stands as a beacon of hope for Brooklyn residents struggling with arthritis-related back pain. The core belief of our practice is that surgery should be a last resort for treatment of your pain. We exhaust all possible medical options to help our patients recover from their pain as safely and as painlessly as possible.

Our holistic approach encompasses minimally invasive procedures to relieve pain, promote healing, and prevent future injury. At NY Spine Medicine, we are dedicated to the treatment of pain and spine conditions and utilize the most advanced technology and treatment options available in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility.

For Brooklyn residents seeking expert Facet Block Injections Brooklyn services, NY Spine Medicine provides comprehensive care that extends beyond just the procedure itself. At NY Spine Medicine, we believe in personalized care. We take the time to listen to your concerns, understand your goals, and develop a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Our multidisciplinary approach combines the expertise of pain management specialists, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to provide you with comprehensive care every step of the way.

Comprehensive Care for Brooklyn’s Community

With multiple locations across New York City, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, NY Spine Medicine makes it easy to access expert pain management care close to home. Whether you’re in need of a consultation, diagnostic testing, or ongoing treatment, our conveniently located offices ensure that you can get the care you need when you need it.

That’s why we offer a variety of minimally invasive interventions designed to provide effective relief with minimal downtime. From epidural steroid injections to nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation, our interventional procedures are performed with precision and expertise to target the source of your pain and promote healing.

If you’re a Brooklyn resident suffering from arthritis-related back pain, intra-articular facet injections may be the precision treatment you’ve been seeking. With their proven effectiveness, minimal risk profile, and potential for significant pain relief, these procedures represent a valuable option in your journey toward reclaiming your active lifestyle. Contact NY Spine Medicine today to discover how their expertise in facet joint injections can help you move beyond pain and back to the activities you love.