Facet pain

[Jstuckey]

How would you describe facet-specific pain? I've ready many posts about facet pain, as opposed to nerve compression generated / discogenic leg pain, but I'm not sure what people mean by this. Anyone care to describe?

[MeggieLynn]

If you go www.sarapin.com and click on advanced clinical updates it describes some of the symptoms of posterior facet pain and some of the things practioners can look for with diagnosis.

ML

[annapurna]

If you look through old posts here, you'll find that it's often difficult to determine what's facet and what's discogenic pain. The overlap between the two and gating effect from the more severe pain will make it difficult to tell exactly what's going on. Diagnostic injections may help but only if the needle jockey is really careful with placement, otherwise the injection will likely affect both regardless of the original intent.

[Jstuckey]

Great description in the link above! That is definitely not what I'm feeling, and helps relieve some of the lingering conerns creeping around in my head about my mild facet issues prior to my upcoming surgery! Here's the description given of facet pain on the link mentioned:

Posterior facet syndrome-instability of the back-is a much-abused and maligned diagnosis. Yet some patients suffer back pain caused by a chronic synoival inflammation and degenerative disease and instability in the facet joints, most frequently those of L4-5and L5-S1 vertebrae (Fig. 8).22 Posterior facet syndrome often accompanies degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis13.
Diagnosis. Patients with posterior facet syndrome usually complain of maximum pain in the lower back. This pain may radiate down the posterior thigh to the knee, but rarely below the calf (in contrast to sciatica associated with lumbar disk herniation). The pain is usually lateral, despite the anatomy of the facet. It is aggravated by activity and helped somewhat by external bracing. When examining the patient, look for limitation of spinal movements and tenderness at the lower lumbar, vertebral, and sacral regions. Lateral bending with extension of the spine often causes the most pain. Neurological examination is usually normal, but there may be slight dimunition of sensation over one or more dermatomes. Oblique and lateral radiographic views with the patient in flexion may reveal the presence of abnormal posterior facets.15