Effect of adding cervical facet joint injections in a multimodal treatment program for long-standing cervical myofascial pain syndrome with referral pain patterns of cervical facet joint syndrome

400 patients with long-standing cervical myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) with pain patterns of cervical facet joint (CFJ) syndrome were randomized to receive therapeutic CFJ injections or no injections. Over 1 year, the injection group displayed greater cervical range of motion, reduced numerical rating scale scores for pain, and fewer cases of combined tension-type headache than the control group. Age was also associated with outcomes; younger patients in the injection group needed shorter treatment periods and were symptom free over a longer period of time than older patients.