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Hi Everyone!
I'm 35 and have been daling with lower back pain for years and finally found out last year that I have two bulging discs. I've been taking vicodin on and off for a year now but just got referred to a PM doc and he started me on Opana 15mg. I'm going in for facet injections tomorrow- he said they're diagnostic to determine if some radio frequency thing will help me. Hmmmm... I don't know what he means by that. I had one steroid injection a couple of months ago and it was awful and made my pain worse. I refuse to have any more steroid again. I was offered the pain pump but the doc who offered that told me I would have to be off ALL pain meds for 6 weeks before having it installed. Yeah, right! So, I would rather exhaust all conservative treatments (i.e., pain meds) before having a device installed in my body and going into my spinal column. Will the facet injections treat bulging discs? Will the injections eliminate my need for pain meds? Also, this Opana sedates the heck out of me and wears off after only 7-8 hours....any answers or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Comments
The facet injections are in fact a diagnostic test for an RF Rhizotomy, also known as denervation or RF Ablation. Basically, deadening of specific facet nerves. Most likely you will get two injections a week apart, one is a short acting pain medication (like novocaine) and the other longer acting (like marcaine). You will not know which injection has which medication though. After the injections, you'll tell your doctor how long each of them gave you relief. If the results are what he/she expects then you will be a candidate for the RF procedure. There is no therapeutic benefit to these injections, they are only to determine if the RF procedure will be beneficial.
Jay
Jay
Angie :H
~Kittyu
not "me11" ...typo!
~Kitty
Angie
As for me I have gone through just about every back and neck surgery in the book. I have not obtained relief from the pain. My next procedure will be an electronic spine stimulator. after 40 years of pain I haven't given up hope. Well, I'm off to write my new member story. Good luck in your quest for relief.
O:) pete
Google it so you can see the anatomy of the spine to get a good idea why they are so important to your movement. Interestingly, they produce nerve like pain (they have nerves embedded in them) which tends to make one think the pain is from a disc or stenosis. If its neck facet joints they can produce pain in the neck, shoulders, high back and even down the arms depending on what level is affected.
Facets joint problems can be from ddd, osteoarthritis and or injury. I had a neck fusion and I keep thinking after one year my pain is from the surgery, but now it may be from the joints since I received my ct report.
There are two ways to give facet joint injections, on the joint itself or directly on the nerves. As someone said, these injections can work for some without having a RF. Therefore, they are not always used for diagnostic purposes. I hope they will work for me so I will not need an RF.
Please research everything before you have procedures so you can ask questions. It important to be informed so you can make decisions with your health care professional.
Hope all works out for you! PS- Ask to be sedated so you will have no discomfort.