[Aaron]

1. I too had immediate onset (after injury) and I am young
2. Got some relief from 2nd facet inj, supposed to have rhizo but ins. a mess. The only strange thing is I had inj. in hip for pain and the relief is totally different hip feels like arth. from injury but facet feels as if a nerve releases or shrinks it is an unmistakable feeling and it is nerve reaction after facet inj.
3. no sign of facet problems on MRI, Cat scan, bone scan which should show uptake at bad facet.
4. I too can bend back and forward with out terrible pain

I am like you mark I am not believing it is completely my facets. Do I belive that the disc height loss causes some pain in facets, absoultely. Do I belive this is where the stabbing, burning pain I feel is coming from. NO. I think the steroid is getting to others structures in the area such as inflammed nerves and the disc annulus where I have herniation and tears and causing some carryover pain relief. I personally belive my pain is mostly from my annular tears due to the amount of inflammation I am dealing with. 2 of the three were pain gens.. Have you had thorasic discogram at the new levels of pain, is it possible the fusion caused stress at other levels and created tear or exasterbated existing one?