If you’re experiencing chronic pain in your neck or other joints, then you might be wondering what your options are. Well, the good thing is that there are actual non-surgical options available to you.
This is especially true if you visit a pain clinic in Chicago. Some of the options are epidural steroid injections and facet joint injections, among others. That being said, let’s talk about some of the differences between a facet injection vs. epidural.
That way you can determine if this might be one of the best options for you.
More On Non-Surgical Treatments For Spinal Pain
Spinal pain is a chronic pain that can be absolutely devastating. It can be caused by disc hernias, spinal stenosis, tears, muscle weakness, and discomfort in your legs, thighs, or butt.
However, if you experience this pain, then there are solutions without surgery. Sometimes surgery is necessary, but that’s not always the case. There are many different options available for you.
Two of them in particular are epidural and facet joint injections. These are two highly recommended treatments by pain experts. Let’s talk about the difference between the two and what they are.
Read More: What if Facet Injections Don’t Work?
Facet Joint Injection vs Epidural Injection
In order to talk about the differences between facet joint injections vs. epidurals, let’s cover their definitions first:
What are epidural injections?
Epidural injections globally lower your level of pain. They focus on the lower extremity. This means that if you have arm pain in the neck, back, neck, leg, back, or arm, it can be reduced.
It can help treat conditions like degenerative disc, compression fracture, spinal stenosis, disc herniation, and annular tear.
The treatment uses a corticosteroid that is anti-inflammatory. It reduces swelling around your spine and also blocks the nerve from feeling pain. By injecting into your nerve root, it’ll increase your levels of comfort for several hours and potentially long term.
What are facet joint injections?
Facet joint injections are a little bit different than epidural injections. Facet joints are small connections within your spine’s bones.
The nerve roots pass through these joints. These joints let you move and twist, which is why they’re so important. If you have facet joint injections, then it’s an anesthetic that is like medication to the spine.
It involves giving a steroid to that area and must be done with local anesthesia. These injections are used by pain specialists to manage your pain from degenerative or arthritic conditions, affecting the facet joints.
This could include joint neck pain, facet joint syndrome, and arthritis.
So What Is The Difference Between Facet Injections vs Epidural Injections?
The main difference is that epidural injections treat pain that radiates into different areas of your body from the spine. This pain can radiate into the back, leg, and arms. It’s very helpful for inflamed or pinched nerves.
Facet joint injections are more focused on localized pain treatment. This is if the pain itself is only within the disc or joint.
Learn More About Epidural vs Facet Joint Injections Today
Visit a doctor at the Pain and Spine Institute today. Learn about the different treatments and conditions that our doctors specialize in — such as cervical facet injections in Chicago.
For instance, there are facet injections, epidural injections, Botox, physical therapy and more. All of these treatments are available to you. However, the best course of action is to consult with a doctor.
So don’t hesitate. If you’re feeling any kind of pain in your back, neck or spine, then get in touch right now. Discover what it’s truly like to be able to move about freely and without any worries.
