Injections overview
What Types of Injection Are There?
Facet Joint Injection. The bones of the spine (vertebrae) are linked together by joints. There are 3 joints at each level of the spine. A large one at the front called the disc and a pair of small joints at the back of the spine, called facet joints. The facet joints can become inflamed and painful. Pain from a facet joint in the neck will be felt in the back of the neck and can radiate up to the back of the head, across to the upper arms and down to the shoulder blades. Pain from a facet joint in the lower back will be felt in the small of the back, the buttocks and sometimes the thighs
By injecting a combination of anaesthetic and steroid into and around the joints, it is often possible to reduce facet joint pain. Even if the pain relief only lasts for a short time it can confirm that the pain is coming from a particular joint.
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Epidural injection. An epidural injection is an injection into the epidural space. The epidural space is the space outside (epi-) the dura; the dura being the membrane that surrounds and contains the nerves of the spine and the spinal fluid in which the nerves are bathed).
Perhaps the best-known use of an epidural injection is during childbirth. During childbirth, a needle is placed into the epidural space and a strong anaesthetic and painkiller are injected. The aim is to cause numbness and stop the pain of delivery. We also place a needle into the epidural space, but use a combination of a weak local anaesthetic and steroid. The aim being to treat back and leg pain, not to anaesthetize.
Nerve Root injection. If a nerve in the spine is trapped or irritated, it will become inflamed, causing pain in the neck, lower back, arms or legs, depending on which nerve is affected. Injection of a combination of steroid and local anesthetic can reduce the inflammation in the nerve for a period of time.
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