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• Facet Syndrome Definition

Facet Syndrome Definition

Facet syndrome is defined as pain associated with the degeneration of the facet joints, which are hinge-like bony projections where vertebrae meet and articulate. It is a form of arthritis, and is most commonly experienced by people age 50 and older. It can occur at any level of the spine, but is most common in the flexible, weight-bearing cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) regions. During the aging process, joints begin to lose their ability to produce the lubricating synovial fluid and cartilage begins to wear down. This age-related deterioration exposes the small nerves that supply the joints to grinding between the bones of the vertebrae, which can produce a dull ache as well as referred pain that is felt in other parts of the body.

How Facet Syndrome is Diagnosed

If your doctor suspects you might have facet syndrome, he or she will order one or more tests to confirm the diagnosis. The goal is to determine whether degeneration of the facet joints has occurred, and if so, to narrow down the location of the deterioration. These tests can include:

• X-ray
• CT scan
• MRI
• Intra-articular joint injections
• Medial branch nerve block injections

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If nerve-numbing injections are used, the doctor will base the diagnosis on the amount of pain relief achieved. The injections might need to be repeated in order to avoid a “false positive,” also known as the placebo effect.

Treatment for Facet Syndrome

Initially, a doctor will attempt to treat pain and other symptoms associated with facet syndrome with pain medication, behavior modification, physical therapy, exercise, and other conservative methods. More radical techniques, such as radiofrequency neurotomy (“deadening” the joint nerve) and corticosteroid injections, might also be attempted. However, if these treatments prove ineffective, surgery might become an option. If so, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn how a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure performed using innovative, endoscopic techniques may provide safe, effective relief.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.