No preparation is needed unless your doctor has arranged for sedation. Please inform us if you are on medication to thin your blood (eg. Warfarin, Aspirin). If you are on special drugs or have diabetes and are on insulin, take your usual medicines and diet.

Whilst you lie flat on your stomach on an x-ray table, the cleaned back area will be injected with local anaesthetic. Guided by x-ray or CT scanning, a needle will be put into the facet joint. Local anaesthetic and cortisone (steroid) solution will be injected. This may be uncomfortable for a very short time during the injection until the local anaesthetic takes effect. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes depending on the number of joints injected. You may stay with us for a short time after your injection. You may then continue your usual activities however you should minimise physical activity for 24 hours after the injection.

The effect varies for different people. There may be relief for months to years, but this is a treatment, not a cure. Some people get no benefit.

There may be slight soreness or bruising at the needle site. Any other problems are very rare. You may temporarily experience some numbness in the injected area. Rarely does headache occur as a side effect. Very rarely serious side effects causing permanent neurological damage occur, which are independent of operator skill. The radiologist and your referring doctor will discuss this with you when obtaining your consent.

Please bring any previous x-rays with you on the day of your examination.

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• Armadale Hospital
• Bentley Hospital
• Bethesda Hospital
• Booragoon
• Innaloo
• Joondalup Radiology
• Joondalup Health Campus
• Midland
• Mount Medical Centre
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• Rockingham
• Subiaco