Facet Block
Although it is not a technique that we promote or practice at Biziondo, it is currently a common technique used for pain.
Facet syndrome can be uncomfortable and, in severe cases, limit a patient's quality of life, but a solution has emerged that helps reverse this and takes less than five minutes: facet block.
What is it?
More than a treatment, facet block is a technique for administering medication directly to the sites of chronic back pain in cases of facet syndrome (or lumbar facets, which we'll discuss later).
This procedure requires a high degree of specialization, as it involves working with sensitive structures such as the nerve roots in the back, and for this reason should only be performed by an anesthesiologist.
But what is administered with a facet block? Well, corticosteroids (with a powerful anti-inflammatory effect) and anesthetics are injected or infiltrated to minimize discomfort and reduce pain immediately.
How is it done?
Before performing a facet block, your doctor will order an X-ray to accurately determine the best sites for medication application.
This block is performed within the joint capsule of the facet joints, in the lower spine, outside the epidural canal and spinal cord, so there is no risk of injury to nerve structures. The facet block is a procedure that, if performed according to all guidelines, is very safe and highly effective (in more than 90% of cases).
The entire procedure is performed in a sterile, safe environment similar to an operating room. It takes less than an hour, and facet blocks are often performed in sessions (one every three or four months, depending on the severity of the musculoskeletal condition).
¿Cuáles son los beneficios del bloqueo facetario?
- Safe. With minimal side effects.
- Immediate relief from pain and inflammation. The patient feels physical well-being within a few minutes after the facet block.
- Long-lasting effect. Unlike conventional medications, facet blocks provide relief from pain and swelling for weeks.
- Painless procedure. Since the facet block includes anesthetics, it is painless.
- Rapid recovery. The patient can return home and resume daily activities almost immediately.
Applications When do we resort to it?
Osteoarthritis is a common condition and is especially disabling in elderly patients.
At our medical center, we guarantee pain relief from osteoarthritis, a condition characterized by the slow but steady degeneration of the body's joint tissues, which brings with it pain, inflammation, and decreased mobility.
Facet block can significantly reduce the negative effects that osteoarthritis has on the quality of life of those who suffer from it, with a reduction in lower back pain, relaxation of back muscle tension, and increased joint mobility.
¿Por qué es tan efectivo el bloqueo facetario?
Of the anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids are those that show the best short- and medium-term results, minimizing the body's inflammatory processes and promoting the recovery of associated musculoskeletal structures.
The anesthetics used in facet block not only ensure that the procedure is 100% painless but also provide immediate relief from underlying pain.
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