Lumbar Facets Syndrome

Lumbar facet syndrome is a disease characterized by pain in the lumbar facet joints. These joints are located in the lower back and connect the vertebrae, providing stability and mobility of the spine. Inflammation or damage to these joints leads to lumbar facet joint syndrome. As experts in pain management, our doctors offer comprehensive treatment tailored to your specific pain level.

What Is Lumbar Facet Joint Pain?

The lumbar facet joints are small joints on the back of the lumbar spine. Their primary role is to help transfer the load to the lumbar spine. These joints provide stability and allow the spine to move and be flexible. Similar to the knee or shoulder joints, the facet joints of the lower back can become loose and cause pain that can be felt in different parts of the lower back and radiating to the buttocks, hips, or groin.

Causes and Symptoms of Lumbar Facet Syndrome

The most common causes of lumbar facet joint pain are degenerative/arthritic changes or trauma, sports injury, or any other strong impact.

Symptoms of facet joint syndrome differ depending on where the affected joint is located and which nerve roots it affects. The affected joints in the neck can cause headaches and difficulty moving the head and neck. The degenerated joints in the back can cause pain or stiffness in the lower back, buttocks, or hips.

The most common symptoms of facet joint syndrome include:

• General pain in the neck or upper back area
• Pain after an injury, such as a car accident or a bad fall
• Increased pain while driving
• Pain that is worse at night

How Is Lumbar Facet Joint Pain Treated?

Initial treatment of facet joint syndrome is often conservative and may include rest, ice, or heat therapy.

Other conservative approaches may include:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Physiotherapy
• Use of a back or neck brace

If your symptoms are a concern, your doctor may prescribe pain medication. Steroid injections directly into the facet joints can also help relieve pain for a long period of time. Surgery may be necessary in severe cases to clear the facet joints and numb the symptomatic local nerves.

Visit the best back pain specialists in New Jersey at The Spine & Rehab Group for fast relief from back or neck pain caused by facet joint syndrome.

Dr. Amr Hosny is a Harvard-trained Interventional Spine Specialist that helps patients achieve pain relief, heal from injury, and return to their normal lifestyle as soon as possible without surgery.

Dr. Hosny completed an Interventional Spine fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, MA, and then finished his residency at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University in NYC. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at New York Medical College and is a written examination editor for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Experienced physician, educator, and healthcare entrepreneur, Dr. Hosny, is committed to enhancing health equity and accessibility using information technology in an era of rapid healthcare transformation while upholding the highest medical care standards.

More About Dr. Hosny

The Spine & Rehab Group
140 NJ-17,
Paramus, NJ 07652
(212) 242-8160