That is an old treatment that goes back to the time when patients realized that there were surgeries that were necessary (life or death) and then there were surgeries that were elective (might help, might not). Maybe the insurance companies made that decision, don't know. Basically, it left a lot of anesthesiologists out of work and they had to get creative to make the money that their training had told them they were entitled to. The shots in the facet joints of the spine was one of those creations. Throughout the 90's, it was considered to be the treatment of choice for back pain but research has shown this procedure to be of little value. I went through 3 courses of treatment (a course was considered to be up to 10 shots over several months). I have a wonderful talent for placebo effect but there was never any sustained relief beyond a couple of days. My thought on the subject is: if God intended for us to have shots in our spine, he would have put plugs there! Jerry Lewis, the comedian, because of the pratfalls that were part of his act, ended up with a severely damaged spine with unremitting pain. He was taking the shots in the nineties and ended up with spinal meningitis and almost died from the experience. Don't do it and also, don't let them sell you on a pain pump! That was another treatment that was promoted about the same time and is still being sold. I have had friends that ended up with life threatening infection and had to have the pump removed but then were left with terrible consequences of the infection. I am 65, have lived with chronic pain since my teens. I am currently doing pain management with narcotics. It is a choice that I made to make my life functional. I do feel that steroid shots have a place in medicine to get over an injury before considering surgery, ie, knees, shoulders, etc. but not the spine. The consent form that you sign for shots to the spine lists death or paralysis as possible side effects of this procedure. I want to be out of pain, not dead! Good luck, hope you find relief. Sorry for being so strident on this topic, I inflict my opinions on friends and loved ones, also. They don't have a delete button...

I had cortisone injections this year in my lumbar - 6 lycocane injections to freeze the area, and then several cortisone injections to each of my vertibrate to alleviate facet joint disease pain. Unfortunately my injections did not work. However, I know people who have had success with fentinol.

I was on prednisone for 3 months this year, for a compressed nerve in my neck which affects my shoulder and arm, and i put on so much weight during the process, and had no idea at the time how bad steroids are for bone density

My husband has a broken disc in his back and has injections of Marcaine once a month and those do help to numb his pain.

I am 40, was fused in 1988, am waiting for my first revision surgery and am on a long list of medications to manage the pain so that I can work while I wait for surgery. Unfortunately spinal pain is hard to treat, and not a lot of people understand it.

What I recommend is asking for a prescription for Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) which is a muscle relaxant, as well as Gabapentin which is a nerve blocker. Has he tried Celebrex? It did not help me, nor did Amitryptaline. But they do help others.

Has your husband had surgery for his scoliosis??

I'm sorry I did not mean fentinol, I meant to type cortisone.

I am 42 and have had severe pain for years. I had surgery when I was 16 and had 13 fusions with the herrington rod placement. I finally went to a pain management specialist and got my first cortisone injection about a year ago . It helped for only a couple of weeks which was very discouraging.I continued to see the pain doctor and he continued with the injections but he would inject different areas each time I went. Finally after the 3rd or 4th shot I was almost pain free for 3 months! I think there is a limit to how much cortisone can be given over a period of time. I would definitely give the injections a try and don't give up if it doesn't work the first time. Good luck!

If you want an opinion of a 65 yo male with 68 degree thoracic and 48 degree lumbar I would recommend to get the shots if he is in acute pain. If not, I would not do it. Once that decision is made, I would decide to either live with it or try to change it. (I only wish I knew at age 40 what I know now). If you decide to try to do something about it, I would recommend to view this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TWtrCmzaOw

This is not a panacea, but only a tool. Be prepared for soreness and an investment of time if you try the road of correcting a spine condition that has been there many years. Also, I would recommend to get xrays of the curve to establish a benchmark Finally, does he have a short leg? If he doesn't know, he may want to xray that also. Note: mine was 3/4" and I did not know it.

Thank you for this site rkochis, I have been doing PT prescribed exercises and pilates for a yr. After my last PT series the pain has gotten worse. Xrays diagnosed Scoliosis. I had noticed contraction in my Right hip in the dressing room a long time ago. Pain Mgn. dr. believes the facets are involved and is leaning toward injections....I have hope for exercise. Grateful to see these, it makes a lot of sense! Blessings to you!

I have the Harrington rods put in by Dr. Harrinton in 1968 in Houston, TX. Recently I read Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno. I felt like a window had opened in my mind. I understood for the first time how my own personality type traits contribute to my pain. Being a perfectionist, being controller, always having to be right, my own severest critic. All of his books are great. What can you loose? Take a look?

OK Pain Mgn. has me scheduled for Steroid shot this Thurs. I have been way down on the pain scale lately and I am scared to get them. I have 4 degerated disks and the scoliiosis is convex to the left where I have most of my pain. It seems like a crap shoot...maybe helpful maybe not. I have a tendency to wait and see if stays better...big sigh! I guess that is reallly whaat it is..luck or no luck!

I have decided NOT to get the Epidurals. I am doing more exercise and not lifting anything too heavy. I still have pain, but less!

Yogacat, I'm 52 and was originally diagnosed at 12 or 13 and I've pretty much had chronic pain most of my life. Never have done the shots. Right now doing exercise, Yoga and walking and massage therapy which really helps short term..my chiropractor told me a rowing machine would be good to strengthen the muscles around my curve. I may give it a try. Best wishes to you!

I'll sound like a broken record to some people on this site, but my personal experience as a 38 year-old, post surgery 40 degree curve, has been that finding the RIGHT massage therapist has been a huge, huge help in relieving my pain. That in combination with core-strenghtening exercises--basically Yoga without the rigor since I'm too slack to do it right : )