Lower back pain treated with facet joint and sacroiliac joint blocks
A 61 year old lady was seen in the Pain Clinic with lower back pain.
Examination findings
On examination she had exquisitely tender right sacroiliac joint and some right lumbar facet joint tenderness. She was put on the list for x ray guided injections of this joint to help. We also discussed some activities including yoga, ballet and football, and I advised her that even if we were able to get a pain free window, it would be best to moderate the amount of any activities related to these, which exacerbate the pain. Whilst she was waiting for injections she got some Celecoxib anti-inflammatories, which were of some benefit.
Minimally invasive pain management procedures
She came in to have right L3/4, L4/5 L5/S1, and right sacroiliac joint injections. This was done with Bupivacaine 0.25% 20 mls and 80 mg of Depo-Medrone under x ray guidance. The procedure was unremarkable and she was reviewed 2 months later in the Pain Clinic. The pain had completely resolved and she was discharged from the clinic.
