After a facet joint injection, it's important to take certain precautions to ensure the best possible outcome. For the first 72 hours, you should avoid heat in the injection area. This means no hot compresses, saunas, or steam baths. You can, however, resume your regular medication regimen, including pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and blood thinners.
It's also important to keep moving after the injection. This will help increase blood flow and reduce stiffness. Walking is a great way to start. You should also avoid lifting heavy objects for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
If you experience any pain, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. It's important to follow up with your doctor as scheduled. As mentioned, you should not drive on the day of the injection into the facet joint. If your doctor used sedation, do not drive for at least 24 hours after the injection.
If you experience any pain relief with the initial injection into the facet joint, your healthcare provider may suggest that you try repeating the injection to see if it is still useful.Injections into the facet joint are a common treatment for chronic back or neck pain that has lasted more than six weeks and other interventions haven't helped. The procedure involves inserting very small needles into the joint capsule and injecting a small volume (usually about 1 ml) of medication into each joint. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications are injected into facet joints to reduce pain and swelling in and around the joint.If the injection is successful, you should expect to experience pain relief for several months. You're more likely to notice faster relief if the joints where the injection was given were the main source of pain.
If you suffer from chronic back or neck pain, you may be a good candidate for facet joint injections. It's important to discuss all of your options with your doctor before deciding on a course of treatment.
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