What is Cervical Facet Joint Syndrome?

What is Cervical Facet Joint Syndrome?

The facet joints are the small stabilizing joints located between and behind adjacent vertebrae in your spine. Healthy facet joints have cartilage, which allows your vertebrae to move smoothly against each other without grinding. Each joint is lubricated with synovial fluid for additional protection against wear and tear. Cervical facet syndrome, also known as cervical facet disease or cervical osteoarthritis, is the structural deterioration of one or more of these vertebral facet joints in the cervical segment of the spine.

What are the risk factors?

Facet joint syndrome can be caused by trauma, repetitive movements, or disc degeneration. When the intervertebral disc is damaged, the cushioning effect of the disc is lost which places undue stress on the facet joints. Abnormal postures can overload spinal tissues, including the facet joints, and cause inflammation and pain in these joints.

What are the symptoms?

• Limited range of motion made worse with cervical extension
• Localized right, left or bilateral neck pain Muscle tension and soreness in the area
• In severe cases numbness, weakness, tingling or pain in the shoulders, arms or hands

What are the treatment options?

• Physical rehabilitation to strengthen neck and postural muscles
• Cervical mobilization or manipulation techniques may provide pain relief
• Manual or mechanical cervical traction
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can relieve pain and reduce inflammation
• In severe cases a cortisone injection may be recommended

Exercise Programming and Prevention Strategies

It is important to include an exercise protocol that focuses on regaining strength and flexibility with specific postural retraining exercises. As for all exercise protocols, it is important to conduct the exercises on a regular basis for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. Discuss these options with your health care professional to determine which would be the best treatment approach for you.