Update-Facet Joint Injections Day 3

Just a quick update... (for some background click here)

I can no longer start a bonfire with my face...happy day!

Morning

When I woke up, my face was no longer hot to the touch and I slept better too...no insomnia! I did notice that my knees hurt...this also happened the last time I had a steroid shot. Last time the knee pain lasted approximately 2 days, so I made a *note to self* to have my acupuncturist address this later on.

Mid-Morning Acupuncture

My acupuncturist did normal needle acupuncture and some bloodletting on each cheek, on my left jaw, and on my third eye area, in hopes of relieving the neck pain and face pain caused by laying on my stomach during treatment. I felt immediate relief after the bloodletting in my jaw. After my treatment, my knees felt better and my cheeks were flushed again and warm to the touch. This went away after a few hours.

Evening

My left cheek still felt warm to me...but not to the touch. My neck was still tender from where the injections were, and I felt like I had more energy this afternoon...but that could be from the acupuncture.

The best part of the whole day was the random act of kindness that was gifted upon me...you can read about it here.

Update--Facet Joint Injections Day 2

Yesterday was the day after I had the facet joint injections on the left side of my neck at the C1, C2, and C3 levels.  Read about the injections here.  My neck was pretty sore, as well as the left side of my face a bit. On a pain scale, it was probably a 4-5 by the end of the day.

At least my body is predictable, as I suffer the same side effects whenever I get any type of steroid injection.  This is the third type I've had...the others being: occipital nerve blocks, an epidural steroid injection, and now the facet joint injections.  The three worst side effects I suffered yesterday are:

• Insomnia
• Neck soreness
• Flushed cheeks

I stayed in bed all day yesterday because the night of the injections I suffered from insomnia, probably due to a combination of the neck pain and the steroid.  I was hoping to nap during the day, but my body wasn't too keen on that idea.  Oh, and I felt guilty that I kept my hubby up all night long...and not in a good way.

The neck pain was the worst in the morning and by the evening it turned into more of a soreness...like if you sleep on your neck all wrong and it gets kinked up...except a little worse.  I could move my head right, but when I tried to move it left it hurt.  The site of the injections were tender but not black and blue.

My cheeks were flushed when I woke up and my left cheek got really hot by the afternoon (approximately 24 hours after the shot).  I tried putting a cold washcloth on it, but it didn't help much. It was on fire I tell ya!  I thought my face was going to spontaneously combust it was so hot.  I took my temperature because I wanted to check and make sure I didn't have a fever.  Weirdly, my temperature was 97.4...even though my cheek temperature was probably a million.

Overall, I took it easy but was pretty uncomfortable all day.  The best part of yesterday was that I didn't wear a bra and stayed in my pj's all day.  So that was my "bright side" :)  Hoping today will be better.