Facet Joint Degeneration

Although facet degeneration is normal and universal, it is sometimes used to explain back pain symptoms and in some cases, this diagnosis may be correct.

However, in the overwhelming majority of diagnosed patients, facet disease is not a disease at all and demonstrates an extremely low probability of being the true source of the painful expression.

What is Facet Joint Degeneration?

The facet joints are synovial joints, which mean that they contain areas of cartilage surrounding small fluid filled sacs which help to lubricate joint movement and prevent bone on bone contact. However, as we age, it is normal and expected for these protective measures to break down in the facet joints and most major joints in the body. This leads to the incidence of osteoarthritis, which is also virtually universal, particularly in the cervical and lumbar spinal zones.

Facet Joint Degeneration Symptoms

In some cases, facet degeneration can become problematic, especially when the arthritic change is extreme at a particular level. Bone spurs are the usual culprit when symptoms do exist and may enact pain from bone on bone contact, although this typically involves a specific range of motion and may resolve over time as the spur naturally grinds down. Bone spurs can also enact nerve compression if the osteophyte forms in or around the neuroforaminal space, although many pinched nerves turn out to be clearly misdiagnosed when correlated clinically.

Diagnosis of facet degeneration as the source of pain is often a process of elimination, utilizing less than precise methods, such as anesthetic injections. While doctors call this diagnostic processing, I call it guessing.

Facet Joint Degeneration Summary

First, the surgical treatments used during treatment actually change the anatomy and should relieve the pain, but rarely do. Meanhwhile, non-medical approaches, like knowledge therapy, can work wonders for patients despite the structural degeneration remaining.

Second, the symptoms expressed usually do not correlate to the diagnosed source. Facet joint pain involves mechanical interactions or tiny neurological structures which will create pain locally. Many patients have widespread regional pain. This is illogical.

It is crucial to remember that facet joint disease is truly something which affects all of us. However, most of us never know it and never care, since there is no pain. When back pain does exist, it may, in rare circumstances be correctly linked to the anatomical changes, but in most patients will be coincidental to the structural issues. This goes for many of the typical dorsopathy scapegoats and is certainly not limited to facet syndrome.