"The staff is friendly, helpful, and personable. I felt like our concerns were heard, procedures explained in a way we could understand. Doctor Quickert's no-nonsense approach was refreshing after having not-so-great treatment from others. We felt instantly comfortable and informed after our very first visit."
Facet Pain Treatment
Facet joints are small joints located between the vertebra on the back of the spine that gives the spine its stability and allows it to be flexible so you can bend in multiple directions. These joints are important for spinal motion, but facet pain can also be a source of back or neck pain for many people.
During the injection, your physician uses x-ray guidance to direct a tiny needle into the facet joint. The provider slowly injects a mixture of anesthetic (for short-term relief) and an anti-inflammatory steroid (for long-term relief) into the joint.
About PRP Therapy
"Before facet joint injection treatment, I couldn’t walk very far or stand for any period of time. The pain in my shoulders and lower back was severe.
Following treatment, I’m able to stand and walk better. I have no pain in my right should or right hip. My back is much better and with ongoing treatment, I’m sure it will be fine too.
Everyone at Premier Vein and Pain Center was professional and helpful. I appreciate the service and care from the Bridgeport office. Drs. Timo and Julie Quickert are the best and have fantastic nurses and lab professionals."
Medial Branch Blocks
Facet joints are connected to a network of medial branch nerves, whose only function is to carry pain signals to the brain when there is inflammation of the facet joints. The provider uses a medial branch block injection to release an anesthetic in the area of a nerve network to provide pain relief. If the procedure relieves the client’s pain, then he can determine that the facet joint is the cause of the pain and prescribe further, long-term pain-relieving treatments.
In this procedure, the provider starts by injecting a local anesthetic in the area of the facet joint to be treated to numb the skin and the tissue around the facet joint. He uses x-ray guidance to direct the needle into place and slowly injects a small amount of anesthetic around each nerve.
Rhizotomy
A Facet Rhizotomy provides relief for neck or low back pain caused by facet dysfunction. The procedure deadens the sensory nerve that goes to the facet joint to keep the pain signals from reaching the brain. If the procedure provides short-term pain relief then a Rhizotomy can be scheduled for long-term pain relief.
In this treatment, the provider then uses x-ray guidance to insert a small needle with a tiny electrode just outside the affected facet joint. The electrode is heated using radiofrequency and deadens the nerve when it touches it. The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes and the resulting pain control can last for months to years. Rhizotomy can be repeated if the pain returns.