Facet Joint Syndrome

Facet Joint Syndrome is a term used to refer to the pain arising in facet joints. The spine consists of vertebrates which help add flexibility to the spine and help you twist and bend. These vertebrates are connected to one another by joints that are commonly referred to as facet joints. For someone suffering from facet joint syndrome, all joints in their body are susceptible to inflammation and can lead to stiffness along with varying levels of pains. This syndrome is commonly found in the elderly and starts occuring around the age of fifty.

Causes of Facet Joint Syndrome

There have been various causes attributed to this syndrome but the most common ones are the imbalances in hormonal and nutritional levels. Some even attribute stress to this disorder. Trauma and disc degeneration also tend to cause the Facet Joint Syndrome.

Symptoms of Facet Joint Syndrome

Walking in a hunched-over position is a typical sign of this disorder. Other symptoms also include, pain in the lower back, buttocks, back of thighs, stiffness, and difficulty standing up or sitting down or when turning to look over to the left or right.

Diagnosis of Facet Joint Syndrome

The preliminary step in the diagnosis is a thorough physical examination and a study of the patient's medical history. To make sure what the pain felt is not because of a herniated disc or even a fractured disc, other tests such as X-ray, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) are employed. Sometimes the facet joint block procedure is employed to confirm the reason for the pain. This procedure involves injecting a medicine into the nerves around the facet joint. As the medicine is a numbing medicine, it should relieve the patient of the facet joint pain. If there is no relief in the pain then it is to be inferred that there is some other underlying problem that is responsible.

Treatments for Facet Joint Syndrome

Both medicinal and physical treatments are employed as part of an effective remedial procedure. The medicinal treatments involve the use of drugs such as acetaminophen and opiods. The use of hot packs and therapeutic exercises along with electrical and ultrasound simulation form part of the physical treatments and are primarily oriented to provide a temporary relief from the pain. Sometimes non hindering alternative relaxation therapies such as yoga are used to reduce the stress levels. Advanced forms of treatments include surgical procedures such as radiofrequency rhizotomy. However, most traditional treatment methods end up providing only temporary relief as they do not address the main cause. As there are a wide range of causes, it is highy unlikely that a single treatment will be equally effective for all those suffering with this syndrome.

Most Successful Facet Joint Syndrome Treatment

Combined approaches work best when tackling the facet Joint syndrome. Some of the effective treatments are trigger point therapy, which helps tackle the inflammation; enzyme therapy; inversion therapy, which reseats the joints; and muscle therapy, which helps restore articulation of the joint.