The facet joints are also called vertebral arch joints. They form an articulated connection between adjacent vertebrae. Together with the intervertebral discs (intervertebral discs) and the spinal ligaments, which also extend over the entire spine, the facet joints form an important unit for the stability and mobile connection of the spine.
Each vertebra is equipped with two facet joints, each of which connects an articular process of the upper and lower vertebra as a joint at the vertebral arch. The facet joints allow the spinal column to move parallel to its joint surfaces; they are sliding joints. These small joints are very sensitive to pain because they are each surrounded by a joint capsule containing a large number of pain receptors.
Various causes such as wear and tear in the facet joints can thus lead to severe pain. It is also known as vertebral joint arthrosis, which results in pain, restricted movement, loss of function, considerable restrictions in everyday life and, as a late consequence, sometimes even ossification of the facet joints. This complex of different symptoms caused by wear and tear on the small facet joints of the spine is known as facet syndrome.
Symptoms
The pain caused by the facet joints is typically experienced as deep-seated back pain. In some cases, the pain is radiated by the vertebral joints in a belt-shaped manner. Different degrees of pain are described.
They can range from the lumbar spine-lumbar spine to the gluteal muscles or the back of the thigh muscles. In some cases, the cervical spine is also affected by facet syndrome. Here, pain often radiates via the neck muscles into the shoulder and upper arm areas.
In addition, very unpleasant and recurrent severe headaches can occur when the pain spreads to the back of the head. In addition to the pain, depending on the extent of the damage to the facet joints, there may also be sensory disturbances in the arms and legs. Tingling sensations or numbness indicate progressive damage to the nerves near the spinal column and may be an emergency that should be treated as soon as possible.
Another common symptom of facet syndrome is that the back muscles along the spine usually react exceptionally sensitively to touch. Furthermore, pain often increases when rotational movements are performed. For example, a movement similar to a tee shot in golfing causes an increase in pain, since such rotational movements move the facet joints and further irritate them.
Forward or backward inclinations can also be so painful under certain circumstances that they are often only pain-free when medication is taken. Typically, the pain in the area of the facet joints is load-dependent. They occur in the morning immediately after getting up, because the spine has to carry the body weight again after a night’s rest and a new pressure on the facet joints is created.
