Thoracic Facet Injection

The thoracic joints are located in the middle of your back between your cervical and lumbar spine. These joints can become irritated for a variety of reasons, including a serious injury or trauma, arthritis, and other inflammatory factors. 

When the thoracic joints become inflamed, they can cause mild to severe pain in the middle of your back, along your chest, and in more serious cases, in one or both arms. Depending on the intensity of the pain and the severity of the inflammation, irritation in the thoracic joints can be debilitating. If you suspect you are struggling from pain in your thoracic joints, a thoracic facet injection at NJ Spine & Orthopedic may be an effective treatment for you. 

What Are the Causes of Facet Joint Irritation?

Thoracic joint irritation is a common cause of neck and back pain. With age and inflammation, these joints can become susceptible to wear and tear or degeneration. These changes can cause the joint to become irritated, which can result in loss of motion or a pinched nerve. There are a variety of conditions and factors that can cause your thoracic facet joints to become inflamed. Some of the most common include: 

• Disc degeneration
• Wear and tear of the joint over time
• A sudden fall or traumatic injury 
• A genetic predisposition to degenerative joint disease
• Poor posture and lack of muscle tone
• Repetitive stress injuries, such as those from carrying heavy loads 

These are few factors that can cause your cervical facet joints to become irritated or inflamed. The only way to know if irritation in your thoracic joints is the underlying cause of your pain is to schedule a consultation with a skilled spine specialist. A spine doctor can determine if a thoracic facet injection is the best treatment option for your pain. 

What Is a Thoracic Facet Injection?

During a thoracic facet injection, you will receive direct injections into your joints that contain a steroid or cortisone-based medication. Your doctor will use X-ray technology to locate your thoracic joints and then inject the needle directly into your joint where the pain is likely originating from. Sedation is not used during thoracic facet injections. However, your doctor will use a numbing agent on your skin in the area where the needle will enter. 

The procedure is very short—usually taking only a couple of minutes. After it is completed, you will have to stay in the office for 20–30 minutes to ensure that the injection was placed in an area that will provide pain relief. It’s most common for the medication to kick in between two days and two weeks after the injection.