Facet disease, also known as spinal osteoarthritis or facet joint syndrome, is a degenerative condition that affects the facet joints of the spine. The facet joints, which are lined with cartilage and a synovial membrane that secretes synovial fluid, serve as the connection points between individual vertebrae and give the spine its unique flexibility and extreme range of motion. Facet disease occurs when the protective lining of cartilage wears away after years of movement and stress are placed on the spine.

Symptoms

A person with spinal osteoarthritis may experience any number of symptoms. Joint stiffness is one of the major symptoms and is often the most noticeable in the morning hours shortly after a patient awakes. Stiff joints in the neck and back usually develop as a result of raw bone grinding against raw bone. This grinding could also lead to crepitus, or audible grating or popping noises. Additionally, as the facet joints deteriorate, the spine attempts to stabilize itself by developing bony nodules called osteophytes (bone spurs), which can occur along the edges of an affected joint. Bone spurs are not painful in and of themselves, but if they happen to compress the spinal cord or a nearby nerve root, nerve pain, tingling, weakness, and numbness may arise in the back, neck, and upper or lower extremities.

Arthritic facet joints also become painfully inflamed and an area of tenderness may develop surrounding the affected joints. Episodes of pain can be constant, or intermittent and unpredictable, ranging from mild discomfort to severe, debilitating pain. The intensity of symptoms may worsen over time if the condition is allowed to progress without proper diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosing facet syndrome can be particularly difficult, however, as the symptoms often imitate those of other spinal conditions, such as a herniated disc, spinal infection, or torn spinal muscle.

Where Does Facet Disease Develop?

Facet disease, and its subsequent symptoms, may arise in any of the spinal regions – the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (lower back). However, facet syndrome is most often diagnosed in the cervical and lumbar regions, as these areas of the spine are subject to extreme amounts of stress and movement on a daily basis.

Cervical facet disease can present with symptoms of pain when moving the head up or down, or rotating it side to side. Inflamed degenerative joints in the first through third cervical vertebrae (C1-C3) could cause a patient to experience stiffness and headaches, while deterioration of the C4-C7 joints could cause stiffness and pain to radiate down into the shoulders and/or upper back.

Lumbar facet disease most often arises as lower back pain, which can increase in intensity when extending the spine (bending backwards) or performing twisting motions. Inflammation and stiffness can affect any of the facet joints located between the five lumbar vertebrae (L1-L5), but L4 and L5 are the most commonly affected joints. Radiating nerve pain on one side of the body may arise in a hip, buttock, and down a leg if a bone spur or other anatomical component compresses the spinal cord or a nerve root in the lumbar area.

Treatments

A doctor may initially recommend treating facet disease with conservative (non-surgical) methods, such as anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, facet joint injections, and cold and/or hot therapies. These methods are usually successful at alleviating pain after several weeks or months of treatment and, as a result, surgery to treat facet disease is typically not required. Surgery may become an option, however, if a patient’s symptoms do not subside, even after exhausting all forms of non-surgical treatments.

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for facet disease and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Facet disease