Newbie and Facet joint injections

I've got the degeneration and bulges in the same places, and I've had the facets, epidurals and recently a caudal injection. You get a local anesthetic, so it's entirely bearable, and I'm old and pretty sensitive. It does hurt but it's mostly just pressure. Sometimes I say "ouch." Then I go home and put my ice bag on it for a little while. Some places have you stay on your stomach in a patient room with an ice pack for a few minutes.

These injections are not cures. They don't work for everyone, but may work for a year in others. They often take several days to start helping. The injections that helped the most were the one at L5/S1 and the caudal I had last week. They stopped the sciatica the best for me. I get pain and needle-like jabs in left hip, both legs and feet.

I did my homework and read what was going to be done. It helped me relax, understanding that this is not like surgery.



If you're totally freaked out you could ask for something for anxiety.

Hi SueSueKy, welcome to Healing Well's chronic pain forum. I am glad that you found us but sorry that you have to be here. It sounds like you have done the usual gambit that most of us have tried in an effort to get our pain level down. It really wears a person out trying to so many different things just to lessen our pain and then it not work.

My facet joints are shot at L5/S1 which is the very bottom. I am curious about you being sent to a surgeon for this problem and will be interested in seeing what the dr offers. I have had the facet joint injections and I did get some relief, not total relief but I was to the point I would have accepted anything. Of course, it was not permanent either, none of these procedures and injections are permanent. I was given IV light sedation when my injections were done. It was a little painful, nothing I could not stand but I was aware of the pain. Would I have the injections without sedation, absolutely not. Be sure to find out if the dr offers sedation before your appt is set. I do hope this will give you some relief. Mine did not last but a few months and I opted not to repeat them.

Jim1969 gave you some good tips too about the injections.

A couple more things I have found helpful: I have a back brace I use when I have to be in a car more than an hour or sit in a straight back chair. My neurosurgeon prescribed it, but I suspect some of the OTC ones from medical supply houses are fine too, since the one I ws given was not specially made! My rheumatologist says not to use it because it causes weak back muscles. I have a whole bunch of exercises I do that he presecribed - which might help you too, after consulting with your docs. You can find all sorts online, with videos.

Getting the injections can be helpful to the docs who do surgery too. It makes it easier to pinpoint the real problem, not just what looks like the problem on MRI. I have several points that look bad on MRI at L2-4, but L2/L3 injections have not been helpful.

Take the ice bag with you if you have any drive at all. I have an hour's drive home, and the tiny ice bag they give me is only good for a few minutes. I have a nice one from a medical supply house that's got thin, soft material on the outside. It holds about a quart and lasts maybe 4 hours. Alternative: carry with you one of the larger chemical ice packs from the pharmacy or grocery store.

I don't want surgery right now if I can function without it. I have a whole summer of driving a farm tractor around doing the mowing. I can hire help, and then I can pay for the repairs to the mower deck (last year $1000). In another year, when the baby is walking, my DIL, who grew up on a farm, will be able to do the easy parts.

The injections I have had are done like this, for you information and to know what to expect. I am taken to a small room with a CT and asked to liedown face down on the small carrier table that goes in and out of the CT. The nurse pulls up my shirt and puts a towel over the waist of my pants, and then pulls them down a few inches to give the dr. a clean field for the injections (mine are L5 S1 also) Then she cleans the are with betadine and wipes it dry with alcohol. Then I am put in and out of the ct while the dr watched with the xray tech. Then he comes back to me and loads a syringe with xylocaine, or a local anesthetic. He then goes to my back and gives me injections up and down where he intends to inject the facets. My dr is not particularly caring. He says "Stick and burn" and moves from site to site, wiping up the excess as he goes. Then you go back to the ct, and then he comes back out and puts in the needles where he will inject the facet jt. As he inserts these, he may hit a nerve and your foot could jerk or you feel some weird neuropathy like sensations in legs, etc. After needle placement it is back to the CT, and then he comes back and if they are not placed exactly where he wants them he adjusts them, maybe just pointing them a little differentlly, and back to CT when they are where he wants them, he comes back and goes from needle to needle and inserts the meds . When finished, he pulls the needle and puts a bandaid on each site, you are to leave on for 24 hours. You are then helped to your feet. MAKE sure your legs are not numb and you can stand. My friend actually had legs go so numb she could not stand they put her in a wheel chair, and sent her home. They were not concerned, said it would go away. She awoke at 3aam still could not walk and was freaked out, but when she called the dr. he was mad, and said it would go away. It was gone later when she awoke for the day. Just gave you this run through so you would know what it was like. Some drs make it more of a sterile procedure, and some insert an iv and give versed. Some will also have a patient take a valium or pain pill an hour before the procedure. That part is individualized. Good luck, when it is over, you will be one of us that knows it is not really that bad.

Hello suesueky!

It looks like you are another new member, who has gotten past my "Welcome Radar"

Just how does that happen! Well..I wanted to make sure to Welcome you!....and invite you to come back and visit us anytime!

I too suffer from DDD, and in fact, had a double lumbar fusion surgery back a year ago this last March. While I claim some success with it, I'm afraid it didn't cure all of my pain.

Unfortunately, it looks as though if, I will be on medication the rest of my life. "Bummer"

I have had the Epidural injections and have had both success and then again, not much of a positive result from a few of them. Cant help you with the "facet" injection, but it looks like several members here have given good responses to you.

When you receive your injection, you might ask for a sedative, as this can help quite a bit.

Again, Welcome and Enjoy the forum!

SE

Thanks again guys for being here and sharing your experiences with me, I do feel a bit more relaxed about it all (well I am saying that now, but I am sure on Thursday night and Friday morning I will be a nervous wreck) I have been trying to get hold of my consultant to ask about having a sedative, but no one answers the phone. Oh well I will try again on Tuesday, fingerscrossed I will get through then. My pain levels are high at the moment and I have been told by my doctor to increase some of my meds to help with the pain. Well I hope you all are having a better time of it pain wise that is guys and managing to get some sleep (((((((hugs)))))))