Facet joints are small joints situated between spinal facets and allow for the movement and bending of the spine. As we age, these joints are prone to wear and tear, as well as various degenerative diseases that come with this process, and lead to something called ‘facet joint syndrome’. When this happens, the person may experience back pain as one of their symptoms.
Common treatments for facet joint syndrome
Various treatment and pain management options exist to relieve pain caused by issues with the facet joints of the back, one of the most common ones being the use of spinal injections, such as the medial branch block, which can help detect the exact location where the pain stems from.
Multiple joint injections may be required in one session, which can be quite uncomfortable for the patient.
As the procedure is quite complex, in some cases, there might be a need for the injection of local anesthetic, numbing medicine that is applied locally at the site of the injection, or even an IV line, as well as the use of an X-ray guidance device to help correctly place the needle into the facet joint where the pain occurs.
As the needle is slowly injected into the joint, a small amount of a pigmented substance is released to confirm that the needle has been placed into the correct position.
This procedure, however, is not free of side effects. A person may feel pain for up to a few days after the injection.
Apart from injections, physical therapy is also a common approach to help manage the pain caused by facet joint issues.
A better alternative
Being injected into the facet joint may not be an appealing option to everyone, given that the pain relief effects are only temporary.
Thankfully, there are other options out there, that are minimally invasive and offer long-term pain relief. One such option is that of using a spinal decompression device, such as the Backrack, to decompress your spine and restore the original curvature of your spine, as well as the space between the vertebrae and facet joints.
Backrack Spinal Decompression for Complete Back Pain Relief
Spinal decompression therapy is a great way to relieve facet joint pain (or any pain along the back for that matter), as it is all-natural, highly effective, and can be used either as a targeted treatment to a specific region of the back, or it can be used along the entire spine. The exercises that are performed to decompress the spine lead to long-lasting pain relief results.
This is also a method of prevention. Whether you are worried about developing back pain in the future, or you already suffer from back or neck pain, this is a great way to get rid of the current pain and prevent it from bothering you again in the future.
Author: Spinal Backrack
