I wonder is someone could explain these to me in laymans terms. My friend has been told she needs to have this done to her neck and shoulders as a result of a car crash several years ago. She's ever so worried about the procedure, the doctor has tried to explain it, but he still explains it in a very technical way. She's also concerned about the medication and it's side effects. As far as I know Depomedrone is a steroid like Cortisone? As I understand she would need a series of injections into her muscles and joints that will reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis due to the whiplash injury. Is that about right? And that each series of injections will last for up to 6 months? It seems the doctor will do it and it doesn't involve a hospital stay? If someone could simplify it for her that would be great. I don't want to say the wrong thing and panic her. Thank you

I have had trigger point injections myself several times.

Basically the muscles spasm and the injections, when the doctor finds the locus or major knot within the spasm can be relaxed with the injection.

This is a VERY SIMPLIFIED explanation. A LOT more is involved, but message therapy can also help after getting the treatments done.

The injections DID help me.

I had it done to two different injuries 10 years apart.

Thanks for the info Sherasi.
She's decided/ been persuaded that she should go for the injections, on the grounds that it won't make it worse but it could make it a bit better. Still got about 6 weeks to change her mind in tho, that was the earliest appointment she could get!
Fingers crossed eh?

Glad to have helped.

Keep us apprised of how it all comes out, okay?

Here is some more info I found online, Firecow, on what are called intra-articular cervical facet joint injections:
Paducah, KY, Pain Management Center
Poster
A more detailed article from eMedicine

As a medical term, "facet" is usually pronounced with the accent on the 2nd syllable, to rhyme with "cassette."

From what I've read, the patient is usually sedated first, then they numb the skin with local anesthetic, then they insert 22 or 25 ga. needles (thinner than what's used when you get blood tests) under x-ray guidance. It's a commonly performed procedure, and serious complications are rare. Hospital stay is not required. With sedation there's should be little or no discomfort.

You are correct that Depo-Medrol is a cortisone-like steroid (methylprednisolone), commonly injected as an anti-inflammatory without serious side-effects. (Not related to the anabolic steroid issues of professional athletes).

Wish her luck. It's hard to get rid of a few jitters, but no need to be in a full panic!