Joints help to promote movement in your body, and in your spine, the joints that help your back bend, twist and handle stress are known as facet joints. Each spinal vertebra has two sets of facet joints. The superior articular facet faces upwards while the inferior articular facet faces downward, and together they work like a hinge to aid in movement while also helping to protect against hypermobility.
Like any joint in your body, these facet joints can wear down over time, and that can cause problems for your spine. In today’s blog, we explore why facet joints can degenerate, and what you can do to help prevent and treat the condition.
Understanding Facet Joint Syndrome
When your facet joints are functioning optimally, they contain a healthy amount of cartilage that is lubricated with synovial fluid to help the spinal column move as needed. Over time, the cartilage in these facet joints can wear down or synovial fluid production can decrease, making movement less optimal and triggering pain signals in nearby nerves. But what can cause facet joint deterioration? In many instances, facet joint deterioration is brought on or exacerbated by:
- Natural aging
- Normal physical activity and wear and tear over the years
- Repetitive motions
- Poor posture
- Acute trauma or injury
- Being overweight or obese
In the early stages, facet joint degeneration is typically painless, but if you continue to put excessive strain on these joints, it’s only a matter of time before symptoms develop. Some of the most common symptoms associated with facet joint syndrome include dull pain, radiating discomfort with movement, back stiffness, posture abnormalities and the desire to lean forward or sit in a manner that takes stress off the affected area of your spine.
Diagnosing And Treating Facet Joint Syndrome
Facet joint problems commonly affect individuals between the ages of 40 and 70, so if you’re within that age range and dealing with any of the symptoms listed above, consider reaching out to your primary care physician or a spine specialist. They’ll begin your consultation by asking about your symptoms and reviewing your medical history. Your doctor will then conduct a physical exam and may have you stand, sit or manipulate your back to see how it responds to these positions.
Imaging tests like an X-ray, MRI or CT scan are helpful for identifying facet joint problems or ruling out other spinal issues. A cortisone injection can also help to confirm a diagnosis if administered near the facet joint that is believed to be causing problems.
Treatment will be dependent on a number of different factors, including your age, your goals and the severity of your facet joint degeneration. Like any type of arthritis, the damage can’t be reversed, so treatment will focus on alleviating symptoms or preventing disease progression. In most instances, a combination of the following conservative treatments proves rather effective:
- Short-Term Rest – Rest can help to calm inflammation in the short-term.
- Weight Loss – Losing weight will take strain off of the facet joints, which can make movement less painful.
- Physical Therapy/Exercise – Physical therapy helps to strengthen both the facet joints and nearby spinal structures so that the facet joint is better able to handle stress, and so other areas are stronger and able to handle some of this burden instead of shifting it to the facet joint.
- Anti-Inflammatory Medications – Certain medications can help control inflammation that your uncomfortable facet joint motion may be triggering.
- Facet Joint Injection – A steroid injection into the facet joint area can help to drown out pain signals so that you can continue to pursue some of the other treatments listed above.
If these methods fail to provide relief, your spine specialist may recommend a surgical procedure. Facet joint degeneration is oftentimes treated surgically with a fusion procedure, which limits mobility at the joint by fusing two adjacent vertebrae together. You’ll lose flexibility at that location in your spine, but because this motion is causing pain, many people are willing to sacrifice flexibility for a reduction in symptoms.
If you believe you’re dealing with facet joint syndrome or another spinal issue that would benefit from professional oversight, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
