Facet Joint Disease

Symptoms of Facet Joint Disease

When the acute lumbar or cervical facet joint inflammation is at its peak, the symptoms may closely imitate those of a herniated disc, a deep infection, a fracture or a torn muscle of the spine, or in the low back, sometimes an acute intra-abdominal problem. Facet joint disease often causes pain intermittently with episodes coming as frequent as a few times a month. The area affected will be tender to the touch. Symptoms of pain may be felt in the buttocks and down the back of the thigh if the affected joint is in the lumbar (lower) spine, and in the shoulders and upper arms if in the cervical (neck) spine. Although these symptoms are a close match to a herniated disc they are very distinguishable, as facet joint disease pain will very rarely be felt beyond these areas.

What Causes Facet Joint Disease

Facet joint disease is caused by wear and tear incurred as we age, whether it is natural or mechanical in nature. As the joints wear down and inflammation sets in, we are put at risk for problems such as bone spurs and facet arthritis.

Treatment Options for Facet Joint Disease

Treatment includes hot and cold therapy, activity modifications, exercises that target the affected area, physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, and anti-inflammatory medicine. A spinal fusion is often recommended for surgical treatment of facet disease if conservative treatments fail to provide adequate relief for the patient.

An alternative to a spinal fusion surgery is an endoscopic facet rhizotomy, a minimally invasive laser spine surgery procedure frequently performed by Spine Centers of America. An endoscopic rhizotomy procedure is performed under local anesthetic and only requires a very small incision (7mm).

In severe cases, spinal fusion may be recommended.