title: Effectiveness of lumbar zygapophysial joint blockage for low back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zygapophysial joints have been a well-recognized source of low back pain.     This paper compares the efficacy of lumbar zygapophysial joints blockage and     medical therapy in terms of pain relief, loss of working days and recurrence of     pain in a population with mechanical low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  80     patients suffering from low back pain were included in the study. Patients were     divided into 2 groups. Patients in Group I were given diclofenac sodium,     thiocolchicoside and were recommended bed rest. Patients in Group II received     zygapophysial joints blockage by prilocaine, bupivacaine and methylprednisolone     acetate. Both of the groups were evaluated with a Oswestry low back pain     disability questionnaire and visual analog scale for pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Posttreatment VAS and ODQ scores were significantly lower than pretreatment     scores. The decrease in these scores in Group II was greater than those of Group     I.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blockage of the lumbar facet joints is a rapid and effective way     to reduce pain originating from lumbar facet joints.
authors.affiliation: M.H. Diskapi Yildirim Bayezit Education and Research Hospital, Second Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bahattin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Uygur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Er
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Tibet
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Altug
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bavbek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001510:Bed Rest; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D011318:Prilocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D011318:Prilocaine; D004008:Diclofenac; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D003078:Colchicine; C004280:thiocolchicoside; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D002045:Bupivacaine