Facet Joint Block: 7 Powerful Facts You Need to Know
Living with chronic back pain can disrupt every part of your life. One common source of spinal pain is the facet joints—small stabilizing joints located between each vertebra. If you’ve been diagnosed with facet joint syndrome or arthritis in your spine, you may have heard of a facet joint block. This minimally invasive injection can relieve pain and confirm whether the facet joints are truly the source of your symptoms.
In this guide, we’ll explain how the facet joint block works, how it’s evolving toward more modern methods like the medial branch block, and the role of cutting-edge regenerative medicine in treating facet joint pain. At AmitSharmaMD.com, we provide advanced spine care with a personalized and evidence-based approach.
What Is a Facet Joint Block?
A facet joint block involves injecting a mixture of anesthetic and steroid medication directly into or around the facet joint. This helps to both diagnose the source of the pain and provide relief by reducing inflammation.
Facet joints are small joints located at each segment of the spine, helping control motion and providing stability. When inflamed—due to arthritis, trauma, or repetitive strain—they can generate persistent pain in the neck, mid-back, or lower back, often radiating into the shoulders, buttocks, or thighs.
Candidates for Facet Joint Blocks
You may be a candidate for a facet joint block if you experience:
- Persistent neck or lower back pain
- Pain worsened by twisting, bending, or arching the back
- Pain that hasn’t improved with medications or physical therapy
- Previous spine imaging suggesting facet arthritis or degeneration
These injections are often considered after conservative therapies have failed. Facet joint blocks are both diagnostic and therapeutic tools—but their use is now evolving.
How the Procedure Works
The procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting under fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance:
- You’re positioned on your stomach, and the skin is numbed with a local anesthetic.
- Using X-ray guidance, the physician inserts a thin needle into the targeted facet joint or its capsule.
- A small amount of contrast dye is injected to confirm correct placement.
- Then, a mix of corticosteroid and anesthetic is slowly injected.
The entire procedure takes 20–30 minutes, and most patients are able to go home the same day.
Recovery and Expected Results
You may feel immediate relief due to the anesthetic. The steroid component may take several days to reduce inflammation. If the pain significantly decreases, this confirms the facet joint as the pain generator. Relief may last for weeks or even months. Patients are often encouraged to begin stretching and strengthening programs post-injection to maintain improvement.
Risks of Facet Joint Blocks
Facet joint blocks are generally safe but not without risks. Possible complications include:
- Bleeding or infection at the injection site
- Temporary increase in pain
- Allergic reaction to medications or dye
- Nerve damage (rare)
Why Facet Joint Blocks Are Becoming Outdated
Although once standard, many experts now consider the traditional facet joint block outdated for long-term diagnosis and management. The newer and more accurate procedure is called the medial branch block (MBB).
What’s the Difference?
- Facet Joint Block: Medication is injected directly into the joint capsule.
- Medial Branch Block: Medication is injected around the medial branch nerves, which supply the facet joints—not the joint itself.
Medial branch blocks are now favored because they provide better diagnostic specificity. If pain relief occurs after an MBB, it confirms that the facet joint is the source of pain. This procedure is often a first step before radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which can provide long-term relief by disrupting these pain-signaling nerves.
Steps of a Medial Branch Block
- Patient lies face down; the skin is cleaned and numbed.
- Under fluoroscopic guidance, the doctor places a needle near the small medial branch nerves.
- A small amount of local anesthetic is injected.
- Pain relief is assessed over the next several hours.
If two successful MBBs confirm pain relief, the patient becomes a candidate for RFA—a minimally invasive procedure with long-lasting results.
Regenerative Medicine and Facet Joint Pain
In cases where steroid injections provide limited relief or when patients seek a more natural option, regenerative medicine may offer promise. Techniques include:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Concentrated platelets from your own blood are injected to promote healing in the facet joints.
- Stem Cell Therapy: Derived from bone marrow or Wharton’s Jelly, these injections help reduce inflammation and potentially regenerate damaged joint tissue.
Recent studies such as this review from PubMed show encouraging outcomes for PRP and stem cell therapy in spinal degenerative conditions.
Our affiliated center, Bloom Infusions & Wellness, offers advanced PRP and stem cell therapy in Long Island. Learn more on our services page.
Take the Next Step Toward Lasting Relief
If you’re suffering from chronic back pain and seeking precision diagnosis with modern techniques like medial branch blocks—or considering regenerative alternatives—Dr. Amit Sharma and his team are here to help. With offices in Commack, Huntington, Bay Shore, and Bethpage, expert care is always nearby.
