What is the prognosis? | Facet syndrome in the cervical spine

What is the prognosis?

A cervical facet syndrome is often not curable because it is caused by degenerative (wear-related) changes in the joints of the small vertebral bodies. However, with the therapy options available, a lasting relief of the pain until freedom from pain and an improvement in mobility can be achieved.

Summary

In facet syndrome of the cervical spine, pain is usually felt in the neck. It is often limited to this area, but it can also radiate into the head, shoulders and shoulder blades, or even into the arms and hands. As a rule, this pain is dependent on posture.

In addition, there may be limited mobility of the head in all directions. In many cases, the pain worsens during the course of the day. The cervical spine is not as susceptible to signs of wear and tear as the lumbar spine because it does not have to carry as much weight and does not have such a large range of motion.

However, movement here is also not as limited as in the thoracic region, which is why facet syndrome is even more common here than in the thoracic spine. The trigger for facet syndrome is usually a more or less pronounced osteoarthritis, which can lead to inflammation and/or instability of the spine due to mobile spinal segments. Therefore, a facet syndrome of the cervical spine should be closely examined by a physician.

Many vital structures are located here, especially vessels that supply the head and brain with blood, but also some large nerves. It should therefore be ruled out that there is a risk that these may also be affected as part of inflammatory reactions or directly damaged or irritated by freely moving vertebral segments, as this could lead to serious complications. Facet syndrome can usually be successfully treated without surgery either by medication, natural remedies, physical therapy (for example ultrasound or heat treatments), facet blockages, physiotherapy (with a focus on long-term muscle building and spine-friendly sports such as swimming or cycling) or a combination of these various options. In addition, risk factors such as overweight and excessive strain on the spine should be eliminated as far as possible.