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Facet Injections for Herniated Discs & Nerve Pain

If you are experiencing nerve pain or herniated discs, you may find relief from facet injections. Facet joints are located between each vertebra of the neck and along your spine and are responsible for keeping your spine flexible and enabling it to bend and twist.

Facet joint injections can reduce the inflammation and irritation in your facet joints to relieve pain and increase mobility.

Our pain specialists at Impact Medical Sun City Center explain more.

What are Facet Joints?

Facet joints are the joints between the vertebrae in the spine. Nerves pass through the facet joints and travel from the spinal cord to the arms, legs, and other parts of the body.

Facet joints allow the spine to bend and twist, and they keep your back from slipping too far forward or twisting out of limits.

When the facet joints are damaged, they can cause debilitating pain in the neck or back. This is known as facet syndrome and can occur due to an injury, overuse, or an inflammatory condition.

What are Facet Joint Injections?

Facet joint injections are a minimally invasive procedure in which a physician uses CT imaging or fluoroscopy to guide the placement of an injection of medication into the facet joint to provide pain relief.

How Do Facet Joint Injections Work?

To guide the injection to the facet, joint our pain specialists will use X-ray or fluoroscopic guidance during the procedure. This allows us to see the joint and ensures that the needle is in place before injection of the cortisone mixture.

The facet joint injection itself should not cause any pain since the area will be numbed by local anesthesia. You will likely just feel some pressure around the injection site.

The procedure takes between 5-15 minutes, and thanks to the anesthetic used, the injection can provide immediate pain relief. Many people feel relief for months after receiving an injection.

What Conditions are Treated with Facet Joint Injections

Facet joint injections are typically performed to:

• Reduce inflammation
• Provide long-term pain relief
• Help patients tolerate physical therapy or other rehabilitative exercises
• Help doctors determine the cause of back or neck pain

Conditions that can be improved with facet injections include:

• Spinal arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Whiplash
• Herniated discs
• General nerve pain

Possible Side Effects of Facet Joint Injections

There are potential risks and side effects associated with having a facet joint injection procedure, as there are with many medical procedures. These side effects are relatively rare, but it is important to be aware of them before going into your procedure.

• Allergic reactions may cause itching, a drop in blood pressure, swelling, or wheezing
• Infection at the injection site
• Bleeding around or near the injection site
• Discomfort at the point of the injection
• Temporary increase in back pain
• Nerve or spinal cord damage– these side effects are rare

If the area around the injection site is sore, you can try putting an ice pack on it for up to 20 minutes at a time to help with inflammation.

Recovery Timeline

You may experience some soreness around the site of the injection for a few days, so you will need to avoid strenuous activity and driving for the first 24 hours after the injection. You should be able to return to your regular activity within the next day.

Facet Joint Pain Relief

If you are suffering from herniated discs or back pain, you may want to consider consulting with a doctor at Impact Medical Sun City Center to see if facet joint injections might be right for you. You’d be surprised at how quickly these injections work to alleviate neck and back pain! 

Call our compassionate team for a consultation today at (813) 938-5195!

BOTOX Vs Dysport – Which One Is Right for You?

Is picking up a copy of A Wrinkle in Time triggering for you? When it comes to all things wrinkles, Impact Medical Rejuvenation of Tampa is here to help identify the best options. With the myriad of anti-aging treatments available, the two most popular wrinkle reducers remain BOTOX and Dysport. Read on to learn more about both treatments to determine which option is the best fit for you.

These two temporary anti-aging treatments share similarities that might make them difficult to decipher. Both procedures are commonly used to reduce lines around the face and forehead using an injectable neurotoxin that blocks muscle contractions for 3-4 months at a time and is safe to use in small amounts. A short process, often referred to as a “lunchtime appointment,” followed by a quick recovery makes both injectables très populaire. Here’s where they differ.

Dysport’s main objective is to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the glabella area of the face. This area is the space between the eyebrows where lines can form because of repeated frowning or squinting. When they become more prominent and develop moderate to severe lines, it may be time to consider adding Dysport to your regimen. Working with a professional can help you determine if this treatment is necessary. If so, the entire nonsurgical procedure may be performed in the doctor’s office with minimal recovery time.

If you are interested in treating more facial real estate, consider trying BOTOX. In addition to the glabella area, this FDA-approved procedure can reduce lines and wrinkles on the forehead, eye area, and crow’s feet. The number of units used can differ per patient so speak with a doctor to determine the right amount for you. Similarly to a Dysport treatment, it can be performed in a doctor’s office with minimal, if any, side effects like swelling or bleeding.

Both are effective and can produce quick results but it’s important to find a professional team that can administer them safely. Call the Impact Medical Rejuvenation of Tampa team today at (813) 283-1910 or visit us online to schedule an appointment.

Less-Common Auto Accident Injuries You Should Know About

While whiplash and muscle pain are among the most well-known car accident injuries, the impact and trauma caused by severe impacts at high speeds can cause some lesser-known injuries, too. In many cases, the damage may not appear until days, weeks, or even months after the incident. Here are some of the less-common auto accident injuries you need to know about.

Pinched Nerves

The trauma of a car accident can lead to pinched nerves anywhere in your body, but they most commonly occur in the spine. You’ll often feel the pain of a pinched nerve right away when excessive pressure is applied to it. Luckily, pinched nerves can be treated with the right therapy. A spinal adjustment that relaxes nerve endings, along with passive and active physical therapy treatments, can reduce the pain, numbness, and tingling caused by pinched nerves.

Herniated Discs

Like whiplash, herniated discs can severely affect your back. If you’re noticing severe back pain, loss of muscle control, or loss of feeling in your back following a car accident, visit your doctor immediately. While symptoms often appear right away, it’s not uncommon for them to show up several weeks after the incident. This serious issue can lead to permanent disability if not treated.

Knee Injuries

While a knee injury like a shattered kneecap is immediately noticeable, other injuries like cartilage damage may not be. One of the most common is a posterior cruciate ligament injury, or “dashboard knee.” Common symptoms include pain and swelling. Depending on the severity of the injury, rest, ice, and compression can effectively treat it. Tears that aren’t healing can often be treated with surgery.

Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by even minor collisions. This injury is often caused when the head or skull impacts an object during a car accident. If you’re noticing changes to your vision, memory, mobility, and concentration, reach out to your doctor immediately, as a TBI can cause severe complications.

Soft-Tissue Injuries

While hard-tissue injuries, like broken bones, are immediately noticeable, soft-tissue ones usually aren’t. From muscle strains and sprains to tendon injuries, soft-tissue injuries can affect the arms, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and more. If you’re experiencing acute or chronic pain—or you’re having trouble moving—reach out to your doctor and start a recommended treatment program right away.

Recover After a Car Accident with Impact Medical Group – Lutz

Car accident injuries can be sneaky, and symptoms may not present themselves until well after the incident. Whether you feel injured or not, always seek medical attention immediately following an accident. Impact Medical Group of Lutz is here to support you on your road to recovery. We offer a wide range of car accident recovery treatments to restore your mobility, reduce your pain, and much more. Call us today at (813) 536-0373 to schedule your free consultation!

4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Rib Pain After an Accident

Rib injuries are all too common after a car accident. The seatbelt can tighten up and press on your chest hard enough to either bruise or fracture your rib cage, or that particular area can become the target of a direct impact from other sources like harder car components or debris. Whatever the cause, leaving rib injuries untreated for too long can pose a huge risk to your overall health. The experts at Impact Medical Port Richey will educate you on the many conditions that can arise from ignoring rib pain after an accident and what you can do to prevent the worst from happening.

1. Developing Chronic Pain

It’s true that rib pain can go away on its own in some cases. However, relying on this is a huge gamble because the pain can actually get much worse. In the case of a severely bruised or fractured rib, letting the pain persist can actually lead to chronic pain that won’t go away anytime soon, if ever. In terms of chronic pain, the rib and chest regions are the worst areas for such a condition as it’s the most painful when compared to most other parts of the body. Visiting a physical therapist as soon as possible is much easier on your body in the long run than dealing with intense pain for the remainder of your life.

2. Risk of Damaging Your Lungs

Any form of damage to the ribs is of immediate concern to your lung health since the lungs are located directly underneath. It can become harder and more painful to breathe, especially if you try to take deep breaths. Since breathing is a natural yet necessary function that we normally don’t think about, this form of pain is among the most uncomfortable that you’ll likely ever experience. Even worse, the symptoms can evolve into pneumonia which is caused by infection and leads to severe inflammation and fluid in your air sacs.

3. Gaining a Chest Deformity

When the cartilage around your ribs grows unevenly due to injuries such as that from a car crash, it can cause your entire chest region to become deformed. This deformity is immediately noticeable and can make it more difficult to perform normal tasks since it causes severe fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Simple actions that were a breeze to you before the accident can become taxing to the point of needing to sit or lie down much too often.

4. A Threat to Your Wellbeing

Although not extremely common, rib injuries have been known to be fatal. A fractured rib can puncture the lungs or other vital organs. And of course, getting pneumonia can become extremely deadly. The lungs and chest are sensitive areas that shouldn’t be taken lightly, or else it’ll be too late to do anything about it. However, you can improve your chances of healing if you see a medical professional as soon as possible.

Treat Your Rib Pain At Impact Medical Port Richey!

We value your health and so we highly encourage you to come and see our skilled physical therapists at Impact Medical Port Richey as soon as you can if you’re suffering from rib pain after an accident. You don’t want your symptoms to progress and become deadly, so call (727) 848-3377 today to schedule an appointment!