Facet joints are the connections in your spine that stabilize each of the vertebra, and they allow your spine to bend and twist. They are covered in cartilage and filled with fluids, like your knees and shoulder joints. This is the portion of your spine that guides your movement and allows you to bear weight so that your spine isn’t just bone one bone.
Overtime these joints cause pain because the cartilage wears down, causing your bones to rub together and form painful bone spurs. This is called Facet Arthropathy, pretty much arthritis in the spine. Pain can also come from overloading the facet joints from poor posture, sudden twisting, or heavy lifting. This will usually trigger muscle spasms or nerve irritation that can commonly travel to other parts of your body.
At Axis Spine and Orthopedics, we treat facet joint symptoms and pain, but there are some things that you can do in the meantime to get temporary pain relief. Repositioning or slightly leaning forward can help with the pain by relieving the pressure from the facet joints. Don’t slouch, just slightly angle your hips forward so that there isn’t direct vertical pressure on your spine and all the pressure is on what you’re leaning on like a table or desk for example.
Another symptom that facet joints and facet joint pain can cause is morning stiffness when you wake up. This is usually when it is most severe because of the long period of inactivity while you are sleeping. To remedy this pain and stiffness, don’t force your movements while you’re in pain. You should gradually start moving around and stretching so it eases your body into movement. If you do force yourself into movements, it can cause spinal pain, nerve pain, and muscle spasms. Taking a warm shower and gentle arm swings and stretches also tend to help with loosening up your stiffness and pain.
If needing any help or if you are in pain and need immediate assistance, please contact Axis Spine and Orthopedics, so we can get you in for a consultation, so we can help you Get BACK to it!
