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What is a facet joint injection? And why do you need it?

A facet joint injection is an injection used to put medication directly between the vertebrae in your spine. It is used to treat pain in the neck or back. When treating lower back pain, it may be called a lower or sacral spine injection.

The facet joints can be damaged due to an inflammatory condition, injury, or overuse. When damaged, these joints can cause intense pain in the neck and back. This is known as facet syndrome and requires treatment with a spine joint injection.

Facet joint injections can be used as a diagnostic spine injection when your doctor isn’t sure which joints are causing you pain. After a facet joint injection, pain relief confirms which joint was responsible.

During a facet joint injection, the doctor inserts a needle and uses special imaging to ensure it is in the right place. Then you are injected with a mix of numbing medication and anti-inflammatory medication. These two medications work together to provide short and long-term relief for your pain. Your medical insurance might cover this procedure.

How painful is a facet joint injection?

How safe are facet joint injections?

Is joint aspiration painful?

Do facet joint injections help nerve pain?

What happens after a facet joint injection?

How long do facet joint injections last?

What are the side effects of facet joint injections?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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