AI Article Synopsis
- Facet joints are a major source of spinal pain, accounting for significant percentages of chronic pain syndromes across different regions of the spine (cervical 55%, thoracic 42%, lumbar 31%).
- Common issues with facet joints include degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis, cysts, and can also involve infections or trauma, which can lead to referred or radicular pain depending on the severity and type of disorder.
- Treatment options vary but typically involve injections for pain relief, especially in cases of osteoarthritis or injuries, and antibiotics for infections, with ongoing debate about the best methods for diagnosis and management.
Article Abstract
One of the most common sources of spinal pain syndromes is the facet joints. Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar facet joint pain syndromes comprise 55%, 42%, and 31% of chronic spinal pain syndromes, respectively. Common facet joint disorders are degenerative disorders, such as osteoarthritis, hypertrophied superior articular process, and facet joint cysts; septic arthritis; systemic and metabolic disorders, such as ankylosing spondylitis or gout; and traumatic dislocations. The facet pain syndrome from osteoarthritis is suspected from a patient's history (referred pain pattern) and physical examination (tenderness). Other facet joint disorders may cause radicular pain if mass effect from a facet joint cyst, hypertrophied superior articular process, or tumors compress the dorsal root ganglion. However, a high degree of morphological change does not always provoke pain. The superiority of innervating nerve block or direct joint injection for diagnosis and treatment is still a controversy. Treatment includes facet joint injection in facet joint osteoarthritis or whiplash injury provoking referred pain or decompression in mass effect in cases of hypertrophied superior articular process or facet joint cyst eliciting radicular pain. In addition, septic arthritis is treated using a proper antibiotic, based on infected tissue or blood culture. This review describes the diagnosis and treatment of common facet joint disorders.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10764212 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3344/kjp.23228 | DOI Listing |
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