Thoracic Facet Joint Block

The thoracic (mid-back) joints are located on the back of the spine, facilitating mid-back motion. These joints may cause mid-back, rib, chest, or abdomen pain, for a number of reasons and for this reason, a thoracic facet joint block is performed in order to determine the cause of the pain suffered by the patient. Where immediate pain relief is achieved, this serves as an indication that the joint is the source of the pain.