Facet Joint Injection

This procedure is a day case and is usually quick and simple as it uses local anaesthetic. The injection itself only takes a few minutes, but the whole procedure can take up to half an hour.

1. Your consultant will do some basic health checks, such as blood pressure and pulse rate.

2. Your consultant will explain the procedure, answer any questions and ask you to sign a consent form.

3. Once you’re in your hospital gown and on the treatment couch, your consultant will clean the site of the injection.

4. You’ll have local anaesthetic so the area is numbed to any pain from the needle. You may feel a sting for a few seconds before it goes numb.

5. Your consultant will use imaging guidance, usually X-ray, to ensure accurate placement.

6. The injection will deliver a combination of local anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory steroid medication to the target area – you might feel a pushing, tightness or pressing sensation.  

7. Your consultant will cover the site of the injection with a small dressing.

Your consultant will take every necessary precaution to reduce the risk of complications and will discuss these with you. Generally, the most common side effect from the procedure is discomfort in the affected area and numbness.

Common after-effects include:

• bruising or tenderness at the injection site

• a short-term increase in pain for a few days is common before the steroid effect begins.  

Rare side effects (affecting fewer than 1 in 100 patients) include:

• temporary numbness in your legs or other areas if the local anaesthetic in the injection spreads. This should ease in a few minutes

• infection that might need antibiotic treatment

• temporary dizziness or faintness due to a blood pressure drop that usually goes away within 30 minutes

• facial flushing for around 2 days afterwards

• irregular periods for 1 or 2 cycles

Very rare risks may include:

• bleeding

• nerve damage

Before the procedure, we’ll make sure you feel as comfortable as possible and give you the information you need.

Your consultant will tell you which medicines you should either stop taking or take, in the days leading up to your facet joint injection. For example:

• if you’re on any blood-thinning medication such as aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban, or dabigatran, your consultant may adjust your dose

• if you have diabetes, the steroid may affect your blood sugar levels, so getting good control ahead of the procedure is key

• if you take anti-retroviral medicines, these can interact with the steroids, so your consultant may need to change your dose or monitor you afterwards

Tell your consultant as soon as possible if:

• you have any allergies

• you have an infection

• there’s any chance you could be pregnant

On the day, you can usually eat and drink as normal, and take your medications as agreed with your consultant.

You will go and spend some time in a recovery room to allow your consultant to monitor you for any side effects. Once you’re ready to leave – usually within 30 minutes to a few hours – you can go home.

Some key things to note during the first day:

1. Arrange for someone to drive you home – you should not drive yourself or travel alone by public transport  – you may experience some numbness or weakness in your back.

2. Rest for the remainder of the day.

3. For 24 hours after the treatment, don’t drive, drink alcohol, operate machinery, sign legal documents, or provide childcare on your own.

4. Keep the site of injection dry for 24 hours.

5. Take your dressing off after 24 hours, but don’t worry if it falls off before then.

In the following days and weeks, be aware of these things:

1. It’s normal to feel an increase in the level of your pain for a few days – you can continue to take your normal pain medication.

2. If you have diabetes, you’ll need to monitor your blood sugar levels carefully for several days after the procedure, as steroids can interfere with your blood sugar control. Tell your consultant if you notice changes or have difficulty controlling your levels.

3. Try to keep moving gently – doing your normal activities.

4. If your pain decreases, gently increase your exercise levels with simple things like a daily walk, or using an exercise bike.

5. If you’re unsure or find exercise is more difficult, talk to your consultant, who may recommend physiotherapy or other ways to manage.

6. Contact your consultant if you develop a severe headache, fever, worsening weakness, or signs of infection at the injection site.

Our consultants will always want to have a follow-up consultation to provide the best personalised pain management for you. This will be to discuss how well the injection worked for you as well as future pain management approaches based on your results. 

You may be offered more facet joint injections in future if they work well for you, and options such as physiotherapy alongside.If the injection didn’t work, you may need further investigations to work out the root cause of your pain.

Please contact our Pain Medicine centre for pricing information.

At Welbeck, our pain specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

To book a facet joint injection, you must be referred by either your GP or a specialist managing your particular pain condition following a consultation with them. Self-referrals are not accepted for this treatment.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with a Pain Medicine centre consultant, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.