Facet joint injection

Facet joint injections are used to alleviate symptoms of Facet syndrome. The procedure is an outpatient surgery, so that the patient can go home on the same day. It usually takes 10–20 minutes, but may take up to 30 minutes if the patient needs an IV for relaxation. Facet joint injections came into use from 1963, when Hirsch injected a hypertonic solution of saline into facet joints. He found that this solution relieved lower back pain in the sacroiliac and gluteal regions of the spine. In 1979 fluoroscopy was used for guidance of the needle into the facet joints with steroids and local anesthetics.