Diagnostic Facet Injections Help Determine the True Cause of Back Pain

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Diagnostic Facet Injections Help Determine the True Cause of Back Pain

There are dozens of potential causes for back pain, especially in the lumbar region where vertebrae, discs, and joints suffer a lot of wear and tear. So when you visit your doctor complaining of back pain, he or she may use a number of techniques to determine the cause of your problem. One of these is diagnostic facet injections. These injections, which are generally a combination of corticosteroid and a local anesthetic, reduce inflammation and pain temporarily to help doctors determine exactly what is causing your pain by a process of elimination. For example, if your doctor administers an injection on the lower left facet joint on your L5 vertebra and your pain subsides, he or she then knows that this is where the problem lies. If the pain remains, then it’s likely that the source of the issue is elsewhere, and the doctor can then address these other possibilities. Diagnostic facet injections can also be used as a temporary pain reliever, and in some patients they’ll provide relief for more than a year.

Some other methods of determining back pain causes include:

MRIs
CT scans
Physical tests
Examination of symptoms
Injections that isolate other parts of the spine

Of course good communication with your doctor is one of the best diagnostic tools available. Make sure to go to any doctor’s visit prepared with details about your condition and answer all questions accurately and thoroughly. It’s also important to keep your doctor up-to-date when and if your symptoms change, especially of you are already on a treatment regimen. With good techniques and your cooperation, your doctor can issue a good diagnosis and proper treatment plan.

If you’ve already received diagnostic facet injections and your doctor has determined you’ll need surgery for facet disease, sciatica, bulging disc, or another back condition, contact Laser Spine Institute. We can review your MRI or CT scan for free to determine if any of our cutting endoscopic procedures can help.

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