Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Facet Joint Injections Lower Back, Need An Answer Posted: 10-10-05 15:51pm
Back pain started 3 years ago during
sexual intercourse in my lower back on the
left hand side. Nothing has showed on mri
scan.
Had a facet joint injection on the left
hand side that didnt really make a
difference, also had a si joint injection
on the left hand side and that didnt
really make any difference.
So for 3 years ive had back pain on my
left hand side and I use my right hand
side for lifting things and putting most
of my weight on to ease pain on left
side.
Went for a recent repeat facet joint
injection and the person performing the
procedure decided he wanted to inject both
facet joints in my lower back (right and
left side at very bottom).
Now ever since then,a couple of months I
have pain in my right side also as well as
my original pain that was in my left
side.
The question im wondering is if the right
side pain (caused by the injection) will
go away?Now I have pain on both sides.
The second injection on my left hand side
seemed to have helped the nerve pain, but
im worried now about having pain in both
sides.
If anyone can help that would be great!!
Al
|
rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-10-05 15:55pm
Im 23 and love my sports, I was coping
well with the left side pain and doing
swimming and a few light weights now and
again, I was also playing football, but
ever since this last injection (causing
the pain on the right side as well as the
left) I have had to give it all up!!
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-11-05 09:20am
Sombody must have had facet joint steroid
injections before that can give me some
advice?
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IMShirl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 204 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 10-11-05 16:51pm
Rank ~
I am sorry you have gotten no reply yet
to your post. I was waiting a bit to see
if you would. I have to tell you that you
will not be getting many if any replies
here.
I have had facet injections but mine were
for diagnostic purposes and proved my pain
was not coming from my facet joints
because the injections never helped my
pain.
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-12-05 13:42pm
Imshirl
thanks for your reply. My injections were
also for diagnostic purposes.
Ive always had pain in my left side for 3
years so they decided to do a diagnostic
facet joint injection on my left side
right at the very bottom of my spine.
This however did not ease my pain so they
decided to repeat the injection and give
me an injection on my right hand side.
Ever since the latest ones ive now been
getting pain on my right hand side?
The pain is so bad I can hardly stand up
straight. And im now also getting a
burning in my groin from the injections.
Thanks for the links
al
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-12-05 13:48pm
Imshirl
did you experience any permanent worsening
of your pain from the facet joint
injections?
For example burning in your groin?, aching
in where your legs join your hips? Aching
in the facet joints themselves?
Also did you have your left and right side
done?
Im begining to think my original back pain
wasnt that bad and these injections have
increased my pain
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IMShirl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 204 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 10-12-05 14:28pm
Rank1 ~
no, my pain was not worse from the facet
joint injections. The groin pain you are
having is what I had before and after the
facet injections and I actually had
horrible groin pain twice. The first time
it was so bad I spent 4 days in the
hospital because of the pain, I couldn't
walk or even move for that matter because
of pain. The pain went away after my
anterior lumbar fusion with bak cages at
l4-5 and l5-s1. Three years later the
pain came back slowly and I ended up
having posterior lumbar fusion which was
this last may where I had micro movement
posterior and this movement caused bone
spurs and these bone spurs cause the pain.
The surgery in may he put rods and screws
from l3-s1.
Back to the injection... I had both
sides (l4-s1) done at the same time.
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-13-05 08:03am
Imshirl
thanks again for your reply. Its nice to
know sombody has had the same thing
done.
Sounds like youve had alot done to your
back surgically wise, is your pain any
better for it now?
The groin pain is very strange and im
absolutely positive 100% that its come on
after facet injections.Im hoping this will
go away.
I also get another strange pain, its on
the left hand side and right hand side of
my hips where my leg joins into the
hip.Its very sensitive (only after facet
injections) and if I wear any tight boxer
shorts or anything the pain really hurts
me, as soon as I take them off the pain
eases.
Im really hoping all this pain goes away
as I know the joint injections are the
culprit and it hurts now when I bend after
having injections.
Nobody seems to wanna help me, everytime I
contact my docter he says he doesnt know,
I can never get hold of the person who
conducted the injection,the specialist who
organsided the injection I cant get hold
off, I feel kinda like an abandoned pin
cushion. My other half has now left me
because of all the stress bought on by it
and ive had to give up my sports.
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IMShirl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 204 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 10-13-05 10:24am
Rank1 ~
yes, I do feel much better now after each
of the surgeries. I know I will never be
pain free but I am sure a lot better now.
I am only 42 y/o right now and have been
dealing with spine problems for at least
10 plus years now. Thank god I have a
very supportive husband and kids. I know
there are many who suffer spine problems
and there spouse or partner has left.That
is really sad and I am so sorry it has
happened to you. What the heck do these
people think??? What if it was them who
suffered and how would they feel? Sad,
sad, and sad.
I see you are from the uk and I hear it
takes months to get proper medical care
including mri's and so on? When was your
last mri or any other tests? How long ago
was your facet injections? If it has been
awhile ago then the pain from the
injections should be gone. I wonder if
the person who did the injections screwed
up and that is why you can't get a hold of
him/her?
I also hear of so many who feel like you
and that they feel abandoned. I thank my
lucky stars have a great ns meaning also
that he cares about my well being and
makes sure I am comfortable and all my
questions answered. Please check out the
other forums I gave you and I am sure you
will find more support and people from the
uk who might be able to help you on what
to do next.
I'm sorry I have not been much help to
you but please know I care.
Imshirl
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-13-05 13:01pm
Imshirl
thanks again for the reply. It makes me
feel better to speak to sombody about it,
especially sombody with experience like
you. Im glad you feel your pain is
somewhat better now after going through
all your back surgery and its good you
have a family willing to support you.
My other half left me because our life was
totally different before I hurt my back
and suddenly having to curb all our
activitys because of me had a massive
affect. Also had an affect on our sex
life. Basically she got bored of me and
wanted more things in life which I couldnt
give her at this moment in time due to the
pain so she went out and found sombody
else.
I know my pain is life threateningly
serious but pain is pain and it hurts all
the time also watching all my mates play
football and going down the gym etc makes
me feel down. I find excersise is the
only way of relieving my stress.
It takes a while to get things done on the
nhs over here long wating lists etc, I
find its best to go privatly for a
consultation costing approximately about
£160 and then get the consultant to
transfere you over to his/her nhs
department, this way things get done
quicker. The facet joint injections I had
were done start of august time and doc
said if somthing has been irratated by the
injection maybe it may take a while for my
body to heal itself.
I will check out and sign up for the other
forum links you gave me they sound
interesting.
Nice to know you care and nice to know you
went through the same thing with no pain,
maybe all will be okay in the end.
Do you have to pay for your medical
treatment in u.S?
Thanks again
al
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 10-13-05 13:04pm
P.S meant to say my pain isnt life
threatening, hopefully!!
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JujuBee23
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 4
I Am Scheduled For Facet Injections Posted: 11-03-05 13:39pm
I am scheduled for injections. I do not
know much about them. I do know that I
am hesitant about getting them. I have
heard of a man getting them done and
getting paralyzed. I am going to go
research it some more. All I know is
that when they do the injection they are
looking at an xray maching and not your
spine. You are also awake but drugged a
little. Sorry this is all I can do to
help.
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IMShirl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 204 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 11-03-05 14:23pm
Hi jujubee23 ~
what would you like to know about facet
injections? When are you having them
done? What area of the spine will you
have them done? Try not to think about
this person who was paralyzed to much.
Try to think positive. Things can happen
like that to anyone. The spine is
difficult to work on but do the research,
make sure the doctor doing them is very
good at it. Is a pain management doctor
doing them for you? You mean fluoroscopic
guidance when talking about the x-ray
machine.
Here are a few sites for you to look at
and some information as well.
Imshirl :wink:
facet joint injections
typically, facet joint injections are
performed as a part of a workup for back
or neck pain. Since many patients do not
have a readily identifiable cause for pain
based on imaging studies and clinical
evaluation, a stepwise process of
different paraspinal injections is often
performed. This process may include facet
injections; epidural injections; selective
nerve root blocks (snrbs); and, in certain
patients, discography.
The injection of local anesthetic and
steroids into the facet joint is
diagnostic and potentially therapeutic.
When optimally performed, the injection is
made directly into the joint space, though
for generations anesthesiologists have
been successful in injecting around the
joint. Pain relief following a precise
intra-articular injection confirms the
facet joint as the source of pain.
Although some physicians advocate the use
of only local anesthetic, most
practitioners inject steroids as well,
attempting to provide longer pain relief.
Long-term relief (6 mo) can be obtained in
30-50% of patients.
Patients referred for facet injections
most often have degenerative disease of
the facet joints. However, even if the
facet joint appears radiologically normal,
facet injections still may be of use, as
radiologically occult synovitis can cause
facet pain, particularly in younger
patients. Postlaminectomy syndrome, or
nonradicular pain occurring after
laminectomy, is also an acceptable reason
to perform facet injections.
Patients with lumbar facet pain (so-called
facet syndrome) typically present with
back, buttock, or hip pain. If the
patient has only back pain, this pain may
radiate into the buttocks or hips, and the
pain is typically worse with extension. A
useful test is to ask patients to push the
pelvis forward while standing with their
hands on their hips because this movement
typically reproduces facet-mediated pain.
Radiculopathy, leg weakness, and leg
numbness are not considered part of the
facet syndrome and suggest nerve root
compression, although this may be
secondarily caused by facet hypertrophy.
Occasionally, synovial cysts (out-pockets
of the facet joint synovium) may be
symptomatic. Most often, they cause
foraminal or spinal stenosis. Typically,
on t2-weighted mris, synovial cysts are
seen as rounded areas of increased signal
intensity with a peripheral rim of
decreased signal intensity. These cysts
are located adjacent to a facet joint.
The injection of steroids into the
associated facet joint is effective in
resolving synovial cysts in 30-40% of
patients, although repeated injections may
be necessary.
Cervical facet pain is not characterized
as easily as lumbar facet pain, and it can
occur with a variety of symptoms,
depending on the level and the individual
patient. Headaches, neck muscle spasms,
and general or focal neck pain can
originate from the facet joints. This
pain is typically worse when patients
extend or turn their neck. In particular,
the upper cervical facets can often cause
occipital headaches. As in the lumbar
spine, radiculopathy or arm weakness
and/or numbness should suggest an
alternate diagnosis.
Requiring fluoroscopic guidance
certain injections require fluoroscopy or
some other form of x-ray guidance
and cannot otherwise be performed. These
injections include:
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 11-04-05 18:00pm
On my experience dont have the injections
unless you know for sure your pain is
coming from your facet joints.
I have pian for 3 years inleft side and
right side has been perfectly healthy, I
had the injection in the left side and it
didnt make any difference. Then I decided
to go for repeat injection in left side
and somhow during the procedure my right
side got injected. After all this the
second injection on the left seems to have
eased my pain a fair bit but my right side
has been permenently painful, theres
evidence in itself that injecting into a
healthy joint is not good at all.
Maybe my was a one off but im not sure.
I think my nerves have been irratated by
the injections,i may opt for the procedure
where they can heat the nerves away,im not
sure yet I will find out what happens on
my next specialist appointment.
Al
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 11-04-05 18:04pm
Its like a constant burning in the spot on
the right hand side where they done the
injection.
I dont have any limited movement at all in
my back it just burns all the time and
aches.Im really anoyed because ive had to
stop my swimming and light gym work due to
one injection.
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sasarah070474
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2008 Posts: 2
Re: Facet Joint Injections Lower Back, Need An Answer Posted: 07-11-08 17:20pm
I had facet injections beginning of this
week and I also feel like the injections
have made my pain worse, i'm feeling
exactly what you spoke about i.e. ache in
lower back, groin and tops of legs where
they meet my hips. The pain seems worse
when i'm not moving but on the other hand
gets sore if i'm moving too much.
Has your pain setted down yet? Have you
had any other treatments?
I've already had part of the disc at L4/5
removed 10 years ago but don't know what
to think about these injections!!!!!!
Any help would be appreciated
S
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sasarah070474
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2008 Posts: 2
Re: Facet Joint Injections Lower Back, Need An Answer Posted: 07-11-08 17:21pm
rank1_airwave
wrote:
Back pain started 3 years
ago during sexual intercourse in my lower
back on the left hand side. Nothing has
showed on mri scan.
Had a facet joint injection on the left
hand side that didnt really make a
difference, also had a si joint injection
on the left hand side and that didnt
really make any difference.
So for 3 years ive had back pain on my
left hand side and I use my right hand
side for lifting things and putting most
of my weight on to ease pain on left
side.
Went for a recent repeat facet joint
injection and the person performing the
procedure decided he wanted to inject both
facet joints in my lower back (right and
left side at very bottom).
Now ever since then,a couple of months I
have pain in my right side also as well as
my original pain that was in my left
side.
The question im wondering is if the right
side pain (caused by the injection) will
go away?Now I have pain on both sides.
The second injection on my left hand side
seemed to have helped the nerve pain, but
im worried now about having pain in both
sides.
If anyone can help that would be great!!
Al
|
rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Facet Joint Injections Posted: 07-12-08 08:04am
Hi sorry to hear you are feeling the same
pain.
The pain has not got any better. The pain
is just coming from the small holes in the
muscle caused by the injections.
Everytime you use the muscles in this area
it is painful/stiff/tight.
Likewise if you sit around they also get
tight etc.
The holes are caused by the injection
needles scarring the muscle and not
healing properly. (I was shown these holes
on an mri scan after complaining many
times of the pain caused by them).
I originally just had my left side facet
joint injected as this was where my
original pain was (the pain I went in for
has now gone, I am just left with pain
from injections now).
Then I was schedualed for a repeat
injection on the left side but due to a
communication mix up at the hospital I had
my right side injected also.
Now I have this pain caused by the
injections on both sides.
I have had diagnostic injections elsewhere
but they didnt hurt at all during or after
procedure.
I find in the mornings it is always tight
and painful. I do lots of stretches and
when I excercise I have to break through
the pain barrier.
I do some weights to keep my back strong
and swimming.
Whatever excersise I do somtimes makes
this pain feel better and somtimes worse
but it is always tight in the mornings and
throughout the day.
I plan on seeing another specialist to
find out why they injected my right side
when I didnt need it and also to find out
if they can take this pain away that they
have caused.
Hope this helps
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RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 880
Thanks: 20
Thanked:0
Posted: 07-12-08 15:55pm
Hello Rank,
Sorry to read about the pain you are
having from your facet joint injections.
May I ask where on/in your back you had
the injections? What was injected?
I ask the above questions because I
fortunately have not experienced this. My
epidural injections have contained
lidocaine to numb the injection site and
the corticosteroid Kenalog to reduce the
inflammation. My first epidural was to
the L3/L4 disc area for a pinched nerve.
A slight amount of pain during the
injection, but NO pain after the
injection.
For the next two injections that I have
had were to the S1/L5 area. My doc went
up my tailbone for those injections. Even
less pain than the first injection, and NO
pain after the injections.
I'm no doctor, but something doesn't seem
right that you should be experiencing so
much pain from the injections. Ever think
of changing doctors? I know I would.
WHOOPS, just noticed that you ARE going to
see another specialist. Make sure you
select your PM doc with care. It takes a
doc with great skill and expertise to make
the injection properly, AND it MUST be
done with the doc using a fluoroscope.
It is ALL that intense exercising that you
do that makes me concerned. Has this been
approved by your doctor?
RichT
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rank1_airwave
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 16 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 07-13-08 09:04am
Hi RichT,
I had multiple diagnostic injections to
find the problem area of the pain I was
getting.
However the original pain has now gone and
like I say im left with pain at 2
injection sites in the same area.
The injections I had in my si joint and
other areas of my back did not hurt during
or after procedure. However the injections
I had in my facet joints at the very
bottom of my back (I cant remember the
name of them I think maybe l4-s5?) were
very painful during the procedure as the
injection went through deep tissue and has
been constant pain ever since.
The injections have left 2 small holes
which as far as im aware is normal but the
pain which is meant to subside has never
gone away and is as painful now as it was
during procedure and after.
As for the excersise I stay within my
limits and dont push myself to much. The
weight I lift is for toning purposes and
not too heavy.
I go swimming once maybe twice a week.
I have to to the above otherwise I get
very down about the pain.
thanks for the reply m8
