The spinal facet joint is a weight bearing structure that acts as a “hinge joint” between two adjacent bony spinal vertebrae. Normally, the facet joint facilitates painless movement between the adjacent spinal vertebrae. Only when the spinal facet joint is injured can it become painful. Pain originating from a damaged spinal facet joint is called facet pain.
Facet syndrome is back or neck pain that originates from an abnormal spinal facet joints. It’s caused by an inflammation in facet joints, facet arthropathy and spinal instability. Other contributing factors are trauma to facet, genetics and arthritis of the facet joint.
If you currently have Facet Syndrome and are experiencing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness, we would like to offer you a free MRI review to help determine the best way to cure your symptoms and get you back to a normal life.
Facet pain worsens with activities that cause movement of the spine such as bending, twisting and lifting. If this pain lasts longer than two weeks, it usually will not go away on its own and requires treatment. If an abnormal disc is present, it’s impossible to differentiate between discogenic pain and facet pain without either a discogram or facet blocks.
Can day to day activities make my facet pain worse?
Facet pain is usually worse with activities that cause movement of the spine such as bending, twisting and lifting. Facet pain lasting longer than 2 weeks usually will not go away on its own and requires treatment. If an abnormal disc is present, it is not possible to differentiate between discogenic pain and facet pain without either a discogram or facet blocks. Facet pain may mimic a pinched nerve with pain radiating into an extremity. The innervation of the facet joint is the medial branch of the dorsal ramus.
Facet Pain Treatment
Treatment depends on duration and severity of facet pain. Facet pain may respond well to a short course of pain medication, therapy and facet joint injections. Facet pain refractory to these treatments usually requires rhizotomy to effectively relieve painful symptoms. Rhizotomy is destruction of the small nerve to the facet joint. Facet medial branch rhizotomy is the most effective procedure designed to treat this condition and should be combined with therapy to optimize results and durability. Older, more invasive treatments include spinal fusion.
Facet Pain Diagnosis
A diagnosis requires thorough medical history, physical exam, MRI, and possibly a discogram or facet/medial branch blocks.
Our world-class surgeons at Deuk Spine Institute are standing by to review your MRI and provide a recommendation on the best way to get you out of pain, permanently.
About Deuk Spine Institute
World leader in Laser Spine Surgery
With world-class physicians on staff, the newest and most advanced technology, and a patient experience pathway that is unrivaled in it’s efficiency and and pedagogy of care, Deuk Spine Institute has performed thousands of procedures and achieves a 95% success rate in elimination of pain.
The services we offer are not offered anywhere else in the world, and the treatments are curative, not palliative. On top of that, Dr. Deukmedjian is personally invested in the well-being of each and every patient, and has spared no expense to guarantee the best possible outcomes.
