In some cases, spinal pain may emanate from the facet joints in the neck or lower back, or the larger sacroiliac joints in the lower back. In order to more accurately determine whether this is the case, these joints may be injected with local anaesthetic and steroids. If these joints are causing pain, such injections frequently reduce that component of your back or neck pain. This benefit, however, is usually only temporary, lasting hours or days on average.

These procedures are aimed at making a diagnosis only, and generally do not offer any long-term benefit on their own. They are carried out under local anaesthetic and often sedation, and are usually done using a CT scan for guidance.

If the facet joint or sacroiliac joint injections are positive (in other words- they reduce your pain), you may be a candidate for a radiofrequency denervation. This is a minimally-invasive procedure which often provides a much longer period of pain reduction.