What is the Difference Between Facet Joint Injection and Epidural Steroid Injection?

Facet joint injections and epidural steroid injections are both minimally invasive treatments for chronic back pain, but they differ in their targets and conditions they treat. Here are the main differences between the two:

Facet Joint Injections:

• Target: Facet joints, which are small connections within the spine's bones.
• Conditions treated: Back pain that involves aches in the lower back, arthritis, and degenerative disc disease.
• Effect: More focused on localized pain treatment and can last for 3 to 6 months.
• Injections: Can be anesthetic or steroidal.

Epidural Steroid Injections:

• Target: Epidural space between the spine and bones, specifically for pain caused by sciatica or spinal stenosis.
• Conditions treated: Back pain that radiates to the arm or legs, sciatica, and spinal stenosis.
• Effect: Provides global pain relief and is more suitable for short-term therapy or in conjunction with other treatments.
• Injections: Used to treat inflammation or pinched nerves, and can help alleviate the pain caused by sciatica.

In summary, facet joint injections are more focused on localized pain treatment in the facet joints of the spine, while epidural steroid injections target the epidural space to treat radiating pain caused by conditions like sciatica or spinal stenosis. Both injections provide pain relief, but the choice between them depends on the patient's specific condition and pain location.

Comparative Table: Facet Joint Injection vs Epidural Steroid Injection

Here is a table comparing facet joint injection and epidural steroid injection:

Facet joint injections are more focused on treating localized pain within the facet joints, while epidural steroid injections are designed to treat pain that radiates into different areas of the body. Epidural steroid injections can be delivered through various approaches, such as interlaminar, transforaminal, or caudal, depending on the location and source of pain.