Axial joint injection Southlake, Texas is an outpatient nonsurgical procedure for treating and diagnosing chronic upper neck pain and headache.
An axial joint injection contains a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic. The corticosteroid is an anti-inflammatory medication while the anesthetic is a numbing agent. The corticosteroid helps to reduce or prevent inflammation while the anesthetic helps to numb the pain.
The injection is used as both diagnostic and therapeutic treatment. When the injection is injected into the joint where the pain is felt and you feel relief, your doctor will then know the exact joint that is causing the pain.
Who is the ideal candidate for axial joint injection?
If you feel pain at your upper neck and regular headaches, you may be experiencing AA joint pain; hence you are an ideal candidate for the treatment.
If you have any medical conditions or you are on any medication, it is important that you inform your doctor before undergoing the treatment.
How the procedure is done
You will be made to lie down on a procedure table with you facing downwards. The doctor will thoroughly clean the skin around the injection site and apply a local anesthetic to reduce pain and irritation.
The doctor will then insert a tiny needle into the Atlanta axial joint with the aid of a fluoroscope. The fluoroscope is connected to a monitor and the doctor is able to see the inside of the neck on the monitor. A contrast dye may be injected so that the doctor can see clearly the location of the needle.
When the doctor is sure that the needle is at the right spot, the corticosteroid medication and the local anesthetic are injected into the joint. The doctor will then slowly withdraw and take out the needle.