Facet Joint Procedures
Diagnosis and treatment for arthritic facet joints — injection, medial branch block, radiofrequency ablation.
Facet joints are the small paired joints along the back of the spine that let it bend and twist. With arthritis or injury they become a common source of neck and back pain.
These procedures work as a sequence rather than a menu. A facet joint injection or a medial branch block first confirms the joints are the pain source; when the diagnostic response is clear, radiofrequency ablation treats the same small nerves, with relief that typically lasts longer than the block's. The pathway runs at the cervical, thoracic and lumbar levels.
The facet pathway, step by step
Lumbar Facet Joint Injection
A lumbar facet joint injection delivers a combination of local anesthetic and...
Cervical Facet Joint Injection
A cervical facet joint injection targets the small joints along the back of the...
Medial Branch Block
A medial branch block is a diagnostic injection that temporarily numbs the small...
Cervical Radiofrequency Ablation
Cervical radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat from radio waves to interrupt the medial branch nerves that carry...
Thoracic Radiofrequency Ablation
Thoracic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treats mid-back pain coming from arthritic facet joints in the thoracic...
Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation
Lumbar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) interrupts the medial branch nerves that carry pain from arthritic facet...
What facet joint procedures address
Facet-mediated pain shows up inside several of the conditions we treat:
Arthritis
Arthritis is a broad term for conditions that cause joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion....
Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care and a leading cause of disability worldwide. At...
Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is the medical name for age-related wear in the neck — degenerative change across the...
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for more than three months, often continuing well beyond the expected...
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is not actually a disease but rather a term describing the natural, age-related changes...
Headaches & Migraines
Chronic headaches and migraines affect millions of people and can be profoundly disabling. While many types of headaches...
Neck Pain
Neck pain can range from a mild, temporary annoyance to a debilitating condition that affects every aspect of daily life...
Post-Surgical Pain
Post-surgical pain, particularly failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), is a common and challenging condition in which...
Whiplash
In a rear-end collision the neck is whipped rapidly back and forth. A hard fall, or any other sudden movement that...
Work Injury Pain
Workplace injuries are a leading cause of chronic pain, particularly affecting the back, neck, shoulders, and...
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- Dalton, GA(706) 847-0826
- Ringgold, GA(706) 956-1360
- Cleveland, TN(423) 339-9581
- Farragut, TN(865) 218-2100
- Oak Ridge, TN(865) 685-0941
Clinic pages: Dalton, GA · Ringgold, GA · Cleveland, TN · Farragut, TN · Oak Ridge, TN · Find a location
Other procedure families
Epidural Injections · Sacroiliac Joint Procedures · Nerve Blocks · Neuromodulation · Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures · Joint Injections · Trigger Points & Soft Tissue · All procedures
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