cervical facet pain

[Jenwis]

I had a cervical fusion (C5&6), A recent MRI showed a large herniation at C3&4 and C6&7. Most of my pain is on the left side of my neck but the herniation is on the right. I suffer from horrible headaches everyday. They are treating me right now with cervical facet injections, and suggested burning off the said nerves completly. How will this affect the pain that is so dominate on the left side of my neck. And will this procedure help or possibly make the situation worse with all that is wrong with my neck and head? I should also mention that I have a seizure disorder. The cervical facet injections have yet to provide any kind of pain relief, it only makes it worse. Please Help!  

[RunningMom]

I've had this done on several levels to both the right and left side without success.  It really didn't make my pain worse so to speak.  It just made more pain in different areas on top of the major sourse of my pain.  My PMP said that the burning of the nerves is not going to work for me and those cervical medial branch blocks were for a diganostic purpose only.  I'm unsure what he is going to do next.  I, too, get migraines almost daily.  I've had a massive migraine since 3am and I've been vomiting all morning.  The pain was so bad I was unable to do anything for hours.  I finally got the headache pain manageable where my husband could go to work on time.  Between the neck and headache pain, I'm going absolutely insane.  I'm trying my best not to think of this horrible pain minute by minute.  I have a herniated disc with spinal cord compression.

[Tuckamore]

Hello and welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us but sorry to hear about all your pain.

I have not had the the treatment you are referring to. I am aware of two types of procedures that are often called burning of the nerves. They are called ablation. Both types are designed to destroy nerves that supply a structure or part of a structure.

There is a Facet Thermal Ablation. This is preformed by laser. Thermal ablation refers to the laser eradication of the effected nerve.

The other one is called Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation .Radio waves are generated and used to produce heat. This heat destroys the nerves that supply the facet joints in the spine.  

There is a lot of good information in the www regarding both of these procedures. Pain relief is expected to last from 6 to 12 months. Nerves will regrow in this time frame. Your pain may not return to the severity it was prior to the treatment. It may return to the same degree. Everyone is different. These procedures do not take very long to perform, 40 to 60 minutes approximately. Many are preformed under IV sedation. It should not make your situation worse.

I beleive we have had members that have had these procedures. I am hopeful that they will see your thread and respond. I wish you the very best. Please let us know how you are doing. We will look forward to your updates. Take Care, Tuck