CERVICAL FACET SYNDROME

The facet joints are small, cartilage-lined points of contact where each individual vertebra meets the one above and below it. They both enable your spine to flex during movement and also limit its range of motion. However, if the cartilage wears thin, pain can occur. Things like age-related wear and tear, weak postural muscles, a previous injury or trauma to the spine, and cell phone/computer use are risk factors for facet joint damage.

If you have had no recent back strain or injury but you are starting to experience episodes of upper back pain, or pain that radiates outward from your spine, here are some clues that your facet joints may be the source of it:

The pain occurs occasionally and unpredictably, perhaps scattered over several months.

When the pain occurs, pressing on the skin in that area may cause soreness or tenderness; the muscles there tighten in response to pressure or movement (guarding reflex).

It may not hurt to bend or lean forward, but doing it backward produces a definite “ouch!”

In its early stages of cartilage irritation/deterioration, facet joint pain often responds to posture improvements, laser therapy, anti-inflammatory products, and applications of heat or cold. When such measures no longer work, Spinal Decompression Therapy has been proven to be helpful. An X-ray can be helpful in determining a diagnosis of Facet Irritation/Syndrome. At Advanced Pain Relief we see this condition on a daily basis. If you think you might have Facet problems or any other Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal concerns and would like some help, contact Advanced Pain Relief in Owen Sound or Kitchener today. There may also be shooting or burning pain that radiates across the shoulders and upper back, but not down the arms or into the fingers.