After suffering back pain for two years, I had the L4-5 facet joints injected with a local anesthetic. This relieved my pain and the doctor then used a heat treatment to destroy the nerve. Six weeks later, the same pain is back. What can I do now?

Don’t despair. There are still several options left. First, it’s possible that the nerve wasn’t completely destroyed the first time. The body will work very hard to heal or repair anything that’s damaged. Some doctors advise having the procedure repeated a second time.

Second, the local anesthetic can spread beyond the facet joint. This will give pain relief from causes other than the facet joint. For example, if there is a narrowing of the disc space, pressure is placed on the facet joints.

Further testing may help find more answers for you. See your doctor and report the pain you’re having.

Reference:

Christian B. Bärlocher, MD, et al. Kryorhizotomy: An Alternative Technique for Lumbar Medial Branch Rhizotomy in Lumbar Facet Syndrome. In Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. January 2003. Vol. 98. No. 1. Pp. 14-20.

Disclaimer

The information on this website is not intended to replace the advice or care from a healthcare provider. The information on this website is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments, or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visiting with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your healthcare provider because of any information you obtain on this website. Discuss any activities presented in this website with your healthcare provider before engaging in the activity.

Topics

After suffering back pain for two years, I had the L4-5 facet joints injected with a local anesthetic. This relieved my pain and the doctor then used a heat treatment to destroy the nerve. Six weeks later, the same pain is back. What can I do now?