Facet Joint Syndrome


Imagine this: when you lean backward, a muscle spasm starts in your back. It travels down the back of your leg or into your shoulder and up to your skull. The pain is dull and throbbing, but it’s hard to predict how long it will last. If this sounds familiar, you may be suffering from Facet Joint Syndrome. We frequently treat this problem at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock, but it remains little known and many people don’t ask for help with it.


In the back of our vertebrae is a hollow, bony protrusion that the spinal cord runs through. The protrusions attach to each other at something on either side called a facet joint. Unlike the spinal disc, the facet joints are made up of bones cushioned by cartilage and lubricated by synovium produced by a capsule. They are mobile enough to allow the spine some degree of torsion and to move back and forth, but they also prevent the vertebrae from sliding out of place.


A person could feel symptoms of Facet Joint Syndrome if the tissues of their facet joints have become damaged by an acute injury or wear-and-tear. However, we will need to do an examination to determine whether the symptoms are being caused by a similar disorder, such as a herniated disc. If the patient’s facet joints are damaged, we can use CBP techniques to realign their vertebrae and reduce pressure on the surrounding tissue. We can also minimize swelling through soft tissue therapies such as electric muscle stimulation. As the patient recovers, they’ll be able to do therapeutic exercises that will strengthen their core muscles, providing better support to the facet joints and preventing relapses.


Dr. Matthew Cleary runs Cleary Family Chiropractic at 246 Creekstone Ridge, Woodstock, Georgia, 30188. To schedule an appointment, call 678-494-9668 or visit Chiropractor Woodstock.




 

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