Balmy,

I know you are afraid of injections...everyone is!

As my PM says, no one likes a needle going into their necks! BUT...they have been a godssend for me. And, no, I don't get them all the time as in pain management. What I mean is...if they work and they usually do for me, I have been able to keep the meds very low. Otherwise I would have been downing meds right and left. As an example I had facet joint injections at the C2/C3 last November...they are STILL working or at least calmed everything down. Also had facet injections done in the lumbar and then an RF...that lasted a year. I think I need another one. So, don't bypass the opportunity to have POTENTIAL relief. They are diagnostic as well as therapeutic. And sometimes the docs will give you Versed so you just won't care what they do OR you can take Valium or something similar. I used to hate these injections but I don't anymore. And make SURE the doc uses fluoroscopy (xray guidance). All I can really add is even though I might be a bit anxious I usually don't need anything because it is over with fairly quick and my PM uses a LOT of numbing medicine. Hang in there! Truly, they may help you a great deal. Oh, and one last thing. My PM is currently out of the country opening up another spine clinic but when he gets back...I am asking for facet injections in my thoracic (he wanted to do that anyway) and more for the lumbar. So, that just goes to show you they really help me otherwise I wouldn't be asking for them nor would he be recommending them. But know too...I do NOT get these every month they don't allow that because they don't want to be too aggressive with steroids. It is just that I have other levels that are going bad...mainly lumbar. Oh, and this doesn't mean that you won't need some BT meds but you MIGHT be able to go lower or not have to take so many. So, I think your doc is right on target with wanting to try injections.