Do you wake up every morning with a pain that won’t go away? If you have spondylosis and facet arthropathy you know what I mean.
These two degenerative spinal conditions make even the simplest of tasks feel like a chore. As we age they can develop and cause pain and stiffness that’s debilitating.
Stay connected to the end of this post to learn about what is spondylosis and facet arthropathy, what causes them, what are the symptoms and what are your treatment options?
What is Facet Arthropathy?
As you can see the facet joints are vital for movement and stability in your spine. These joints formed by the articular processes of two adjacent vertebrae support your daily activities.
However as we age these joints can wear out and cause conditions like spondylosis and facet arthropathy. Spondylosis means the degenerative changes in the spine due to aging affecting the spinal structures including the facet joints.
In fact facet arthropathy is closely related to spondylosis and occurs mainly from the gradual degeneration of these joints. Also study revealed that 29% to 60% of people who get whiplash end up with cervical joint disease and pain.
Spinal discs and facet joints degeneration is a natural part of aging and can cause pain and stiffness that’s debilitating.
Causes of Spondylosis and Facet Arthropathy
Although the primary cause of spondylosis and facet arthropathy is aging, other factors can aggravate these conditions. As we age the wear and tear on our vertebrae and facet joints increases and causes these degenerative conditions.
Unfortunately degenerative disc disease often coexists with these conditions and makes diagnosis and treatment more complicated. For example lumbar radiculopathy caused by nerve root compression due to degenerative changes adds another layer of complexity.
Spinal Degeneration
As we age both spinal discs and facet joints wear out and cause spondylosis. This degeneration causes the gradual wearing down of vertebrae and intervertebral discs which can increase pressure on the facet joints.
According to recent journals, About 95% of people with cervical spondylosis show signs of it by age 65, but many people don’t have any symptoms.
This pressure often causes pain and inflammation especially in the lumbar spine and manifests as chronic low back pain and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis affects the facet joints and causes pain and stiffness due to cartilage loss. This degeneration can cause decreased mobility and increased discomfort especially in the back and neck.
It can also worsen facet arthropathy and make symptoms more severe and harder to manage.
Other Factors
Additional factors like trauma and inflammatory conditions can also contribute to facet joint problems.
Injuries or trauma to the spine and inflammatory diseases can aggravate facet joint conditions and so we need to consider these factors for holistic management.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of spondylosis and facet arthropathy can be debilitating:
- Chronic low back pain
- Neck pain
- Stiffness
- Pain radiating to the limbs
- Muscle weakness
- Limited range of motion
Diagnosis involves a thorough patient history, physical examination and imaging studies like X-rays and MRI. Diagnostic blocks may also be done to confirm the source of pain coming from the facet joints.
Common Symptoms
As you can see lumbar facet joint disease can cause axial pain that radiates to the buttocks or thighs. This pain worsens with specific movements and is more pronounced in the morning or after periods of inactivity.
Patients often experience low back pain that gets worse with twisting or standing and morning stiffness that limits mobility often associated with lumbar facet syndrome.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of facet arthropathy involves a thorough physical examination and patient history. Imaging studies like X-rays and MRI are important to visualize joint degeneration associated with facet arthropathy.
These studies will determine the extent of degeneration and guide treatment plan. A medial branch block is a diagnostic procedure to identify painful facets in spondylosis where the facet joint nerves are numbed to pinpoint the source of pain.
Spondylosis and Facet Arthropathy Treatment
At the end of the day managing pain is key to improving quality of life for those with facet joint syndrome. 15% to 45% of people with severe low back pain have facet joint arthritis. Treatment for spondylosis and facet arthropathy ranges from conservative to surgical interventions depending on the symptoms.
A combination of treatments usually works best, medications, physical therapy and in some cases surgical options.
Conservative Treatments
Usually non-surgical treatments include physical therapy, exercises to strengthen and stretch and oral medications like NSAIDs and muscle relaxants.
Physical therapy and medication are the primary non-surgical ways to manage symptoms of spondylosis and facet arthropathy.
NSAIDs and acetaminophen are used to relieve pain associated with facet arthropathy..
Interventional Procedures
Facet joint injections involve injecting steroids into inflamed joints to relieve pain, usually guided by imaging.
These injections along with medial branch blocks can give significant pain relief and are done under imaging guidance. Radiofrequency nerve ablation selectively destroys pain-carrying nerve fibers from the facet joints and can give longer term relief for some patients.
This procedure can block pain signals from affected facet joints and is an option for those who don’t respond to conservative treatments.
Surgical Interventions
When conservative treatments fail, surgical options like spinal fusion or total lumbar facet replacement may be necessary. Spinal fusion surgery stabilizes the spine and relieves pain when other treatments don’t work.
Total lumbar facet replacement is another surgical option for severe cases. When conservative treatments don’t work, surgical intervention is needed for patients with severe spondylosis and facet arthropathy.
Pain Management and Quality of Life
Back and neck pain is the primary symptom of both spondylosis and facet arthropathy. Managing this pain is key to improving your quality of life and daily living. Treatment usually involves a combination of non-surgical and surgical interventions based on your symptoms.
Doing specific exercises to strengthen your core muscles will stabilize the spine and relieve facet joint pain. Sitting properly for long periods is important to reduce stress on the spine and a healthy weight will reduce pressure on spinal structures.
Pain Management Tips
Facet joint disease is a common cause of chronic pain especially in older adults and can affect quality of life. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed to relieve pain from facet joint problems.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and topical creams can also relieve facet joint pain. Heat and cold therapy can also relieve pain from facet joint syndrome by improving circulation or numbing the discomfort. Using both prescription and over-the-counter medications will help manage pain.
Physical Therapy and Exercise
Physical therapy can help in recovery by teaching you proper stretching and strengthening techniques. A physical therapist can create a customized exercise program to relieve facet joint pain.
Directed exercises can increase flexibility and strength which are important for pain management and spine support. Physical therapy and exercise is part of non-surgical management of spondylosis and facet arthropathy so you can move and reduce pain.
Prognosis and Outcome
Untreated spondylosis can lead to complications like nerve compression and spinal instability and more severe symptoms.
Surgery for spondylosis or facet joint syndrome is rarely necessary and is usually considered only if radiculopathy or spinal stenosis is present. Results vary so personalized treatment plans are important to achieve good outcomes.
Differential Diagnosis
Aren’t they similar?
Lumbar radiculopathy may present symptoms similar to spondylosis and facet arthropathy so it’s important to differentiate between the two.
The main difference between spondylosis and facet arthropathy is that spondylosis refers to degenerative changes in the spinal discs and vertebrae, often causing bone spurs.
Facet arthropathy, on the other hand, specifically involves degeneration of the facet joints, leading to pain and stiffness. While spondylosis affects the entire spine, facet arthropathy is localized to the facet joints.
Moreover, other conditions like spinal stenosis, spinal tumors and spondylolisthesis should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of spondylosis and facet arthropathy.
10 Ways to Prevent It
Prevention is key to managing spondylosis and facet arthropathy. Follow these lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of severe pain from these conditions. Here are ten tips to help you manage and prevent:
- Practice good posture to keep your spine straight and reduce stress on the facet joints.
- Exercise regularly to strengthen the muscles that support your spine.
- Use good ergonomics at work and home to avoid unnecessary strain on your spine.
- Be at a healthy weight to reduce pressure on the spine.
- Eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D for bone health.
- Avoid smoking as it can accelerate disc degeneration.
- Use proper techniques during physical activities to prevent back and neck injuries.
- Get enough rest to allow your body to recover and overall health.
- Avoid prolonged periods of inactivity which can worsen stiffness and pain.
- See a doctor for regular check-ups and early intervention if symptoms occur.
Following these tips can help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life when you have spondylosis and facet arthropathy.
Wrap Up
With all of this in mind, Spondylosis and facet arthropathy are common conditions that can affect daily life because of chronic pain and stiffness. These are degenerative conditions that can occur as we age and cause chronic pain and limited mobility. Unfortunately, these conditions can be caused by the wear and tear of facet joints, which many of us experience.
Simple measures such as maintaining proper posture, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight can go a long way in preventing severe symptoms.
