Around the world, the most common pain that causes people to consult a doctor is pain in the back, waist and neck region. These pains often cause people to have difficulty in doing their daily work, to have trouble sitting and lying down. These pains are often confused with back and neck hernia pain. Unlike lumbar and neck hernia, one of the most common causes of chronic back and lumbar pain is facet joint pain. You can find detailed information about where the facet joint is, what it does and the methods used in the treatment of disorders on the facet joint.
What is a facet joint?
Known as the triple joint structure of the spine. consists of joints. In the anterior region, there is a joint called the disc. The joints in the posterior region that provide the connection between the vertebrae that make up the spine and prevent the vertebrae from slipping are called facet joints. Each layer of the spine has two facet joints, one on the right and one on the left. There is a capsule on the facet joint and a fluid in this capsule that is responsible for protecting the joint. There is a narrow opening between the facet joints. This opening allows the spine to move.
Deteriorations on facet joints in the spine, also known as facet joint degeneration, with advancing age; Facet joint degeneration, as it is called in medical language, may occur. In some cases, factors such as coughing, sneezing, and making a reverse movement may cause the capsule on the facet joint to rupture and damage, resulting in chronic pain in the back, waist and neck region.
What Problems Occur in Facet Joints? ?
The facet joint acts as a clamp between the vertebrae and keeps the vertebrae connected to each other. The gap between them allows the spine to move to a certain extent. However, as a result of advancing age, various traumas or wrong movements, the joints between the vertebrae lose their flexibility and collapse. As a result of this situation, facet joint syndrome, also known as calcification or lumbar locking among the people, occurs. Some of the symptoms of facet joint syndrome can be listed as follows:
- In the hands numbness, tingling and weakness
- Back, waist and neck pain,
- Pain that can spread from hip to knee,
- Waking up tired in the morning,
- Pains that make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning,
- Pain that occurs in the form of a knife stabbing during a movement or while lifting an object.
Treatment Methods for Facet Joint Problems
Patients diagnosed with facet syndrome are recommended to make changes in their lifestyle first. The main reason for the problems that occur in the facet joints is the load on these joints over time. For this reason, patients who apply to the health institution with the complaint of pain in the back and lumbar region are expected to change their posture and sitting positions. In addition, being overweight causes excessive load on the joints, so losing weight in overweight patients helps to reduce their complaints. At the same time, a facet joint exercise program suitable for the patient is prepared under the control of a specialist doctor, and the back, waist and neck region are strengthened. When patients with facet syndrome apply to the doctor, they usually mention that their pain decreases during walking. That's why I walk regularly. AK can help reduce facet joint pain. Facet joint movements are movements that usually target the central region of the body. The abdominal and back regions, which form the central region, bear the load of the body. For this reason, strengthening the central region of the body by doing abdominal and back exercises is important for the health of the facet joint. During the treatment of the facet joint, the level of the disease is determined first. Patients who apply to health institutions with the complaint of pain are first subjected to a physical examination. Then, using various imaging methods, the level of wear on the facet joint is determined. The first preferred step in the treatment of facets is non-surgical methods. The methods commonly used in facet joint treatment can be listed as follows:
- Facet joint injection: If the pain in the back, waist and neck region is caused by the facet joints, it is treated using a method called facet joint blockage. Portable x-ray devices are used to determine which facet causes pain during the procedure. It is important that the patient is awake while the facet joint injection is applied. Therefore, before starting the operation, the patient is given a small sedative drug. During the facet joint injection, the drug mixture prepared
injecting the damaged facet joint to block the nerve there; In other words, it is aimed to damage that nerve. - Facet denervation: During the facet denervation process, nerves belonging to the damaged facet joint are found and the nerves here are burned with the help of radiofrequency waves. Imaging methods are also used during facet denervation. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. During the procedure, controlled heat is applied to these nerves after reaching the nerves that transmit the pain originating from the facet joints to the brain and enable the patients to feel these pains. The aim of the facet denervation method is to prevent patients from feeling the pain associated with the facet joints.
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