Las Vegas Spine and Pain Clinic
For patients who suffer from back pain that is caused by arthritic changes in the facet joints (joints of the spine), a medial branch block or facet injection may provide pain relief.
The difference between the two injections is merely the placement of the medication. In a facet injection, the medication is injected into the actual facet joints. A medial branch block is where the injection takes place outside the joint space but near the nerves that supply the joint, called the medial branch. This is mainly used as a diagnostic procedure to identify a painful facet joint. This means that our medical providers will determine the best pain relief solution for you from the response to your medial branch block procedure. What we can promise is that we will find the best-individualized care specifically for you with facet or medial branch blocks and test we do here at Las Vegas Spine and Pain.
A 2008 randomized control trial was conducted in the U.S to learn about the effectiveness of these medial branch blocks. “These experts concluded that medial branch blocks administered with local anesthetic agents were valid. Medial branch blocks identified sources of pain in 85% of patients.”
Other findings from this study included that greater than 50% had pain relief as well as improvements in functional day to day life and activities. This procedure has shown to be extremely valuable and safe when diagnosing chronic cervical neck pain.
Both a facet injection and medial branch block consist of a local anesthetic and possibly a steroid, depending on the treatment plan determined by your pain specialist at Las Vegas Spine and Pain Center. Call now at 702-676-2000, and get scheduled to solve your pain today! If your interesting in learning more about Medial Branch Block please check out the video below!
Resources: spine-health.com/treatment/injections/medial-branch-nerve-blocks
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
acc.co.nz/for-providers/clinical-best-practice/interventional-pain-management/interventions/nerve-blocking-procedures
If you want to learn more about Facet or Medial Branch check out the video. If you are in Las Vegas and want a find a Facet or Medial Branchnear you today. Call or make an appointment below to find the closest Las Vegas Spine and Pain to your location!