What is the difference between Epidural injections vs. Facet joint injections?

Epidural Steroid Injections are used for therapeutic reasons in the treatment of sciatica (pain that radiates from the lower back all the way down to either lower extremity) that can be caused by conditions such as spinal stenosis, disc herniation, annular tear, compression fracture, or degenerative changes.  Epidural Steroid Injections are performed by our highly experienced pain specialist Dr. Bajaj in Los Angeles (thinkrps.com).  Epidural injections involve injecting an anesthetic as well as an anti-inflammatory medication such as a steroid (cortisone), near the affected nerve to help reduce the inflammation and help alleviate pain.

Facet Joint Injections are used for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons in the treatment of degenerative or arthritic conditions in the facet joints that allows twisting, turning, and bending that does not radiate all the way down to the lower extremities. Facet joint injections usually have two goals:  to either help diagnose the precise cause along with the location of pain to help provide alleviation of pain performed by Dr. Bajaj in Los Angeles (thinkrps.com).   If the facet injections indicate that the nerve is the source of cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine pain, the next step would be to consider radiofrequency ablation which can be further discussed.

If you have exhausted medications and various forms of therapy with no relief in your symptoms for your neck or back pain, make an appointment with Dr. Bajaj at Remedy Spine & Pain Solutions in our Los Angeles office for a consultation to see if you are a candidate for an Epidural or Facet injections. If you are interested in innovative safe modern approaches to pain management, visit thinkrps.com for more information.