Back or Neck Pain

Facet Joint Pain

Every two adjacent vertebrae will connect with pair of Facet joints. There is one facet to the left of the center and one facet is to the right of center at each segment of your spine. When you bend and twist, your facet joint allows for that motion.

Approximately 15 to 20% of all back pain is related to the facet joint. Either due to trauma or simple aging, the facet joints can become arthritic, and become painful. As result, you may develop neck pain, mid back pain, lower back pain. Most individuals report worsening of pain with twisting and turning the spine to the affected side or extending the spine such as looking up to the ceiling or arching her back. Facet pain is often steady, moderately painful and symptoms may fluctuate during the day and with changes in temperature or humidity.

Cervical Facet Syndrome

Cervical facets are a very common cause of neck pain. it can afect any age but as we get older, the prevelance increases (arthritis) . Neck pain related to facets is sensitive to ergonomics such as your desk setup , pillow, mattress, laptop and phone interaction. Whiplash can result from pain that is originating from from sprained facet joints and strained neck muscles.

In the neck, facet pain could create just neck pain (often one sided), or neck pain with headaches or neck pain with pain inthe shoulder blade area. It is a moderatly painful condition, worsen with activities such as looking up or dowwn, turning side to side of tilting your head. you may find computer work, or looking up to sealing (extension) painful. Tight muscles around shoulder blade, pan that radiates to your shoulder area is common.

Workup:

If your pain persist, further workup such as Xrays and MRI will be indicated . Procedural treatment can be helpful in treating the pain

Treatments:

Neck pain from the facets are treated conservativly and not surgicaly. Your doctor will combine physical therapy and medications such as Advil/Motrin for several weeks . In most cases , applying heat /Ice, soft stissue treatments such as message and accupuncture and in selected cases , chiropractice /osteopathic adjustments can be tried.

Procedures:

Cervical Facet Injecton:

Steorid injection into the facet joints will reduce the inflamation and pain and it may last for several months.It takes 10 minutes to perform and no sedation or anesthesia is needed for cervical facet injecton

Cervical RF ablation: another pain management procedures that is designed to creat a miscommunication between the painful facet joint(s) and your brain . Your physician will ablate th nerve ending next to the facet joint that is painful. Before this procedure is performed, you doctor will numb those nerves to make sure it works, before commiting to the ablation (numbing is done twice before ablation). This procedure takes 20 minutes , and results may last up to a year.

PRP Facet injeciton

Platelet Rich Plasma is natural product from your blood. PRP injections are considered regenerative treatments. PRP contains growth factors that help "heal" an injured tissue or to treat a degenerating structure such as joints. Arthritic or inflamed facet joint can be treated by PRP . When effective, you may only have to treat the facets once with prolonged effect. It takes 30 minutes to draw the block and perform the injection and no sedation is needed. PRP preperation varries and it is very important to recieve the highest concentration of platelets . Our practice utilizes a systme that produces highes platelt concentration in current market.

Lumbar Facet Pain

Lumbar facets are a very common cause of back pain. it can afect any age but as we get older, the prevelance increases (arthritis) . It can develop with or without an inciting event such as lifting or bending injury. It often results in lower back pain with radiation to flank, groin, buttock and back of hamstring but no numbness or tingling or sciatica.

t is a moderatly painful condition, worsen with activities such as arching your back, laying on your stomach and twisting /side bending. Tight muscles in your back is common with this conditon.

Workup:

If your pain persist, your doctor may order an Xrays and MRI . Procedural treatment can be helpful in treating the painful facet

Treatments:

Back pain from the facets are treated conservativly and not surgicaly. Your doctor will combine physical therapy and medications such as Advil/Motrin for several weeks . In most cases , applying heat /Ice, soft stissue treatments such as message and accupuncture and in selected cases , chiropractice /osteopathic adjustments can be tried.

Procedures:

Lumbar Facet Injecton:

Lumbar RF ablation: Another pain management procedures that is designed to creat a miscommunication between the painful facet joint(s) and your brain . Your physician will ablate th nerve ending next to the facet joint that is painful. Before this procedure is performed, you doctor will numb those nerves to make sure it works, before commiting to the ablation (numbing is done twice before ablation). This procedure takes 20 minutes , and results may last up to a year.

PRP Facet injeciton