Facet Joint Injections - Anyone had success?

Posted by shellsk24 @shellsk24, Jun 20, 2016

I have just began a series of facet joint injections for chronic lower back pain, due to arthritis and degenerative spine disease. The injections start off small then they add more medication as we continue. I had the first injection 3 days ago. I was told it could take upto 5 days to start feeling the benefits of the injection. The injections (total 6 in L2-L6) hurt like heck, and I have not felt any change in my chronic pain as of yet which is quite depressing. I was so hopeful. I am told the first injection is with just a small amount of anti-inflammatory med, so it may or may not be sufficient. Has anyone else had these? If so what was your experience with the entire process? I'm just wondering if I should proceed.

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@kajensen

The doctor told me epidermal injection would help me and should take care of my back and legs. It helped for about a week and now back to where I was before the shot. I'm in pain every day what else can I do besides this injection.

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I had I forget how many injections at a time and had at least 2 rounds. For whatever reason they just didn't work for me. I'm getting some relief with manipulation. Apparently i have a muscle running along side my spine whose name I keep forgetting) that continually knots up and causes my pain. What causes it to knot in the first place is a mystery so I don't know how to prevent it. Massaging out the knots works, but they just come back the next day. We are strengthening my core, but, so far, that hasn't helped either.

I'm too young for a wheelchair - in my opinion - so I keep fighting, but it is very hard.

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I've had 1 round of the injections (total 3) and 1 radio-frequency ablation on 1 side. The ablation (about 3 weeks ago) seems to have helped. I'm told that I will need to go back and do to the other side for complete relief. The good thing is that as the nerves continue to die the pain will be eliminated (HOPEFULLY). It is VERY hard to maintain a normal lifestyle while trying to cope with this chronic excruciating pain. The opiods only dull it, and i'm actually tired of taking them, but it's my only brief relief, so that I can sleep. I'm truly hoping the ablation on the other side will be my save-all. Fingers crossed! 🙂

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I had several rounds of ablations in my neck. I received total/permanent relief. One must understand that the nerves will "grow back" early on so repeated ablations are necessary. My neck required 5 rounds before the nerves finally gave up and quit regenerating. good luck

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I've had several facet injections over the past 7 years. Sometimes I had really good results other times not. The problem I have with them is they don't last long enough.
I've often wondered what the long term outcome is of having all that"stuff" injected into my body, as it is a foreign substance. I'm afraid to refuse getting them because it's a workman comp case. Anyhoo, that's a different discussion.
Best of luck with your injection. I hope it works for you.

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@sandytoes14

Hello, I have had facet injections and medial branch blocks done on C 4-7 without any success. I did have cervical (spine) epidurals for over a 4 year period that worked well. The pain in my neck was greatly reduced. In my lumbar spine, I had RFA, radio frequency ablation done and that was very successful.

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@shellsk24 I was wondering if you had RFA done and if so was it successful?

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I’ve had a series of these. They help me for a few weeks

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I have had 2 so far and they didn't last long. I'm so tired of being in pain all the time and guess the Doctors don't feel I need anything for the pain so I have to suffer until it goes away for awhile.

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@medic7054

I had several rounds of ablations in my neck. I received total/permanent relief. One must understand that the nerves will "grow back" early on so repeated ablations are necessary. My neck required 5 rounds before the nerves finally gave up and quit regenerating. good luck

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What type of diagnosis do you have that nerve ablations work?

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@medic7054

I had several rounds of ablations in my neck. I received total/permanent relief. One must understand that the nerves will "grow back" early on so repeated ablations are necessary. My neck required 5 rounds before the nerves finally gave up and quit regenerating. good luck

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I have AK and oesteoarthritis

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Hi, I had my first injections about a month ago -S1/L5. While my bum was numb from the Lidacaine for about two days, the clawing pain that I felt down both legs stopped and has yet to return.
I am very interested in learning if anyone has tried plasma treatment which is offered by clinics that do stem cell injection. It is supposed to be less costly, and I learned from the Mother of the Groom at a recent wedding in Africa that she has been having her destroyed neck and lower back treated with plasma injections which takes away her pain for up to a year! When my back pain returns that will be the route I am going to try.
Regards,
RobbinR

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