Ultrasound-guided facet joint infiltration is a common treatment for persistent back pain. Wear and tear of the vertebral joints, also known as facet joints, is often a trigger for very localized pain. In principle, facet joint infiltration is mainly used on the cervical and lumbar spine, although it is also rarely used on the thoracic spine.
First of all, the affected joint(s) is/are identified using an ultrasound device. After a brief injection of a local anesthetic, a small dose of anti-inflammatory medication is injected into the affected area. Because the drug is injected in such a small dose and with such precision into the affected area, there are virtually no health concerns. If the facet joints are worn, the medication hyaluron or blood plasma is injected to minimize wear and tear.
The facet joint infiltration usually takes no longer than 5 - 10 minutes, whereby the patient should remain on a couch for approx. 20 minutes.
Facet joint infiltration is a largely painless process that should be carried out once a week over a period of 3 - 4 weeks, depending on the patient's condition. in simple terms, the body's own pain-inhibiting systems are activated by needle pricks in defined areas of skin. The origin of the procedure dates back to around 200 years before Christ.
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