Doctors' Digest

Facet joint pain – can it be treated?

Facet joint pain is a particular type of back pain. It is caused by problems with the facet joints in the spine, so is not muscular in origin, although it does cause muscle spasms. It can then be treated – but not all the treatments that are useful are medical. There is a lot you can do to reduce the impact of facet joint pain on your life through behavioural changes, exercises and physiotherapy or manipulation by a chiropractor. In severe cases, and as a last resort, surgery is possible but this involves a major and delicate operation. This article on facet joint pain is by Kathryn Senior, a freelance journalist who writes health, medical, biological, and pharmaceutical articles for national and international journals, newsletters and web sites.