Exploring the Use of Facet Joint Injections Through Instagram

Abstract

Purpose: Facet joint injection (FJI) is a minimally invasive procedure used to relieve pain and inflammation in the facet joints of the spine. In light of the growing presence of social media, it is essential to comprehend its effects on the healthcare industry. Little is known about how FJI is discussed on Instagram. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and production sources of FJI-related posts on Instagram.

Methods and materials: This study provides a descriptive analysis of Instagram posts with the keywords #facetjointinjection, #facetjointinjections, #facetinjection, #facetinjections, #facetblock, and #facetblocks on March 1, 2023. The results were categorized by source into four groups; posts created by healthcare professionals (surgeon/non-surgeon), medical organizations, patients, or not otherwise specified. The content was categorized by type (educational and patient/physician experience) and user influence (number of followers and posts).

Results: The search resulted in 2718 posts. Most post uploaders were mainly physicians (43.1%, n = 275). The distribution of remaining Instagram users with FJIs posts was as follows: 27.1% (n=173) patients, 16.3% (n=104) medical organizations, and 13.4% (n=86) not otherwise specified. Among the posts, 1136 (41.7 %) were from accounts created by patients, 1015 (37.3%) by physicians, 441 (16.2%) by medical organizations, and 126 (4.6%) were unspecified. The analysis showed a significant difference in the distribution of posts among patients and physicians, as well as patients and other unspecified groups (p<0.05). The reported side effects were as follows: pain around the injection site (36%), swelling (17%), weight gain (15%), and anxiety (32%).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that physicians are widely present on social media. However, when searching for posts about facet joint interventions, posts written by patients are more likely to be seen by the public. The results of this article emphasize the impact physicians have on online platforms and the need to raise FJI awareness on Instagram. Due to a lack of information and their anxiety about the unknown, patients have voiced hesitation about undergoing FJIs. To address this issue, it is the responsibility of physicians to enhance the accessibility of accurate information for patients in order to alleviate their anxiety. Additionally, reputable pain medicine societies and qualified specialists should upload credible posts on facet joint interventions that include accurate information, high-quality images and videos, and proper scientific commentary, with the aim of enhancing the quality of online health information.

Keywords: chronic pain management; content analysis; digital health awareness; facet joint injection; facet pain; health communications; instagram; internet; online platform; social media platform.

Figure 1. Flow chart of the selection of the posts

Figure 2. Distribution of reported side effects

Data are presented as numbers (%)