Facet disease in the neck (also known as cervical osteoarthritis) can be difficult to diagnose. That’s because the primary symptom – chronic neck pain – also can be caused by a number of other conditions. The only way to determine for sure whether you have begun to develop osteoarthritis of the cervical spine is to seek a professional diagnosis from your family doctor or a referred spine specialist. However, there are several tell-tale signs of facet disease that you might be able recognize even before you see your doctor.

Questions Your Doctor Might Ask

Remember that the causes of facet disease in the neck – defined as the deterioration of the cartilage coating the neck’s joints – remain relatively obscure. Age and genetics are believed to play a role. Logic also dictates that the cartilage that lines the joints within the cervical spine can only take so much stress over the years. The deterioration of this joint cartilage is normal once you reach middle age, which is one reason people age 50 or older are far more likely to develop facet disease. It often occurs in the neck, because the joints in the cervical region are exposed to a great amount of stress-inducing head movement and are responsible for bearing the weight of the skull.

A dull ache in the neck region might be the first sign of osteoarthritis. If you experience this, think about how you might answer the following questions that your doctor might ask during your visit:

– Has your range of motion seemed restricted in the neck area?
– Have you experienced intermittent pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands?
– Have you felt neck stiffness when you wake up, or felt it after strenuous activity?
– Have you felt tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the neck, upper back, arms, and/or fingers?
– Have you heard a grinding or “crackling” noise (crepitus) produced by bone rubbing against bone?

It’s also important to remember that, if your neck pain and stiffness are accompanied by a fever, headaches, and/or nausea, this could be a sign of a life-threatening infection (meningitis) that requires immediate treatment at the emergency room.

Diagnostic Methods and Treatment

In addition to a question-and-answer session during your appointment, a doctor will likely perform a physical exam and a neurological exam to gauge such factors as range of motion and muscle strength. An X-ray might be ordered to eliminate the possibility that a fracture may be responsible for symptoms. Other medical imaging tests might also be used, including an MRI or a CT scan.

Once your doctor has confirmed a diagnosis of facet disease in the neck, he or she will help you develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but symptoms of stiffness, pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness typically can be managed with a combination of conservative treatment methods. These can include pain medication, physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, and more. Surgery only becomes an option if chronic symptoms persist despite several weeks or months of conservative treatment. A patient considering surgery to alleviate symptoms associated with facet disease should begin the process by researching the available procedures, as well as educating himself or herself about the spinal anatomy, in general. In addition, it’s always a good idea to seek a second, or even a third, opinion before consenting to spine surgery.

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