

The discomfort can be isolated to one side or may affect both sides of the spine at once. Pain that is caused by facet dysfunction is typically isolated to the back of the lumbar spine, thoracic region and neck. The surfaces of the facet joints are covered by articular cartilage and are also prone to chronic degenerative arthritis much like the larger joints such as knees and hips. The facets can be injured during acute trauma often seen in flexion extension injuries such as a whiplash event or sports accident. They connect each spinal level and are responsible for stabilizing the vertebral bodies and counterbalancing the intervertebral discs. The spinal facets joints are located on both sides of the back of each spinal segment. Spinal facet disease is one of the most common causes of neck and back pain and can cause pain at any level of the spine.

What is spinal facet disease and what are the symptoms? When discs degenerate, mobility is affected and function is limited, resulting in symptoms that include stiffness, weakness, and ultimately, unrelenting pain.įacet Joint Dysfunction Resulting in Neck and Middle Back Pain Over time, normal cells are damaged and hydration is lost, leading to tears in the internal structure of the discs. On a cellular level, there is continual loss of healthy cells inside the disc that is responsible for the disc’s structure. On the other hand, arthritis, injury, and extreme wear and tear of sports can accelerate the degeneration. There is a normal amount of expected wear and tear of our spinal discs as we age. The discomfort can be a combination of burning pain and numbness that responds poorly to pain medication. Sciatica is the name for the horrible leg pain that is caused when a bulging lumbar disc irritates a lumbar nerve root. The discs act as shock absorbers, allowing the spine to flex, bend, and twist. Spinal discs are soft, compressible structures that separate the vertebrae of the spine.

Spinal disc degeneration and disc herniations are two of the most common causes of back pain, affecting in particular the lumbar spine (low back). What is degenerative disc disease and what are the symptoms? Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), Herniated Discs & Sciatica Causing Lumbar Back Pain
