Facet Joint Pain EXPLAINED Once and For All

I've been diagnosed with facet joint pain and had the shots that did take the pain away for 2 weeks. I had two rounds but never had the nerves burned and the doctor passed away before we moved on to that. It has gotten worse and another orthopedic doctor at the same clinic is saying it is my SI joint and talking fusion surgery. I've had two rounds of injections in my SI joint and it didn't help that much and the surgery kind of scares me. I'm healthy but in my early 70's. How can this surgeon be so sure it is the SI joint? He didn't even consider what the prior surgeon said regarding the facet joint. Should I seek another opinion?

Hi Dr for years I have had fafter joint disease and cervical stenosis but i had surgery (3 artificial discs) . I have had RFA and corticosteroid injections on my joints (zero relief) . But you know what caused that ?? And you now what mimics the symptoms??? SEVERE ANXIETY. Severe anxiety causes neck pain and muscle spasms and stiff neck . So one has to either treat the Anxiety of the facet joints . This is extremely important to emphasize.

I don't know its PHN from Shingles or Faucet Joint Syndrome. It husts mostly when l'm laying down and resting

I am scheduled or a TFESI L1-2 soon and this tells me what to expect. Great presentation. Thank you. Denver, CO.
Have I'm curious if the TOPs procedure is useful to acturally fix the problem rather than the symptom.

I have been diagnosed with this thru XRay, lower back , pain is terrible at night while trying to sleep, during the day im fine , dont understand why i cam bend move easily? Ibuprofen paracetamol, Naproxel dont even work at night , ?

I have pain on upper right side of neck neurosurgeon looked at my mri and said it's my facet joint and i have a cyst in that area. He said only thing I can do is pain management. Is this true

Tysm for your detailed explanation. I had this done yesterday and am hoping for the best.

Was helpful: I’ve been trying every exercise there is to strengthen neck and shoulder muscles (MRI confirmed facet pain). It really helps but eventually I will have to do more as I get older. Concerned about the risks involved with these injections…

I have facet joint arthropy between L-4 L-5. And L-5 S-1. I have all the symptoms. Mine is not real bad. The more i move the better it feels. Stress makes it worse. I only had an xray for the diagnosis.

Please re-make this video with better sound. It is muffled and very hard to hear.

Hello. Thanks for this, very informative.Today I had my L3/4 and L4/5 facets injected bilaterally. I have been suffering pain,ache for a long while. Anyway I think they have hit the spot. What I find hard to understand is that I was also experiencing a lot of thoracic ache between the shoulders. This however with the cortisone has gone away for now(so far in the immediate hours after the injections) Is there a connection between the lumbar and the thoracic spine?

Definitely annoying pain when standing and leaning back. Sitting down leaning forward relieves pain.

Would you say that if a non OTC anti inflammatory such as prednisone is introduced and it seems to relieve the pain would that also be an indication that it is the facet joint pain or reduction of the synovial cyst has shrunk? Or maybe both?

At 5:48 you stated that the purpose of including a steroid in a inter-articular injection is to "fix the problem". I understand that the steroid can reduce inflammation and associated pain. Does this also mean that the steroid can at least somewhat mitigate or slow further damage to the joint? Regardless of the "further damage" question, does it make sense to attempt resolution of pain with a steroid before doing nerve ablation?
Hope you see and can reply.

What if you have low back pain in both buttocks from neural foraminal stenosis and facet arthropathy AND 4 bulging Lumbar discs AND radicular pain down the buttocks and leg from S1 nerve impingements.

Hey!
I am professional gymnastics atlhete 24 years old lightweight.

I injured myself year from explosive jump

Symptoms – twisting almost impossible
Walking only bended forward, if I tried to stay straight shooting pain localized only in lower back.

14 days later felt 50% better and back in the gym

Reinjured myself 3 times but lighter version

I am still in pain 1 year later and on flare ups have some burning buttocks and leg symptoms

Mri is clean
No facet joints structural changes, no disk issues also.
Did facet joints injections with lidocaine and corticosteroids.
Helped for a week and pain hit me after that when I started training slowly the rehabilitation and I am not even sure did the injection help or my rest time

Do you think I can recover fully and be back in elite sport?

Always when I feel way better and recovering, something happens without even affecting it and I am back in pain and need another 15 days to get way better.

Thank you in advance 🙏🏼

Thank you so much! I was just diagnosed with a synovial cyst. At one point last month, I found myself in the ER. The doctor injected my “trigger points” with Marcaine. Your video helped me understand why it worked temporarily, as well as understanding much more about my condition and I appreciate that! I’m curious how many people find relief with PT? I’ve been going for 2 months with no relief and don’t know whether I should continue. Thanks again!

ڈاکٹر صاحب غلط زبانی ۔۔۔ادھوری وضاحت ۔۔ چھوڑیے۔۔ بات کو واضح طور پر بیان کریں اگر اپ کہہ رہے ہیں کہ دودھ سے اتنے گنا زیادہ اس میں کیلشیم ہوتا ہے تو دودھ تو ہم ایک کلو یا ادھا کلو بھی پی سکتے ہیں تو کیا ادھا کلو دودھ پینے والا بندہ ادھا کلو مورنگا لے سکتا ہے یقینا نہیں لے سکتا کیونکہ مورنگا کی روز لی جا سکنے والی مجوزہ خوراک بہت تھوڑی ہے
اسی طرح اگر کیلے سے زیادہ اس میں پوٹاشیم ہے تو کیلا تو ایک عام ادمی روزانہ چھ بھی کھا سکتا ہے کیا چھ کلوں کے وزن کے برابر مورنگا کی مقدار روزانہ انسان لے سکتا ہے نہیں لے سکتا بلکہ دو کلو کے برابر بلکہ ایک کے کیلے کے وزن کے برابر بھی مورنگا نہیں لی جا سکتی تو لہذا
پروڈکٹس بیچنے والی لغو زبان سے ایک ڈاکٹر کو اجتناب کرنا چاہیے

Very thorough explanation. Thanks doc for taking the time to explain the nuances

After years of struggling with joint pain and trying multiple treatments, Planet Ayurveda’s products finally gave me the relief I was looking for. I feel almost pain-free now!

In Germany they can replace up to three vertebrae at a time. It cost them a lot of money but my neighbors went to Germany and he had surgery with three different vertebrae replaced about a year and half ago. He was in pain all the time and in bed half the time. Now they are on a road trip in their sprinter camper van for four months. Spinal Kinects was working on fda approval here then orthofix bought them. My friend was doing fda reporting on the clinical trials here to do one vertebrae. I wanted to share this as the future could bring pain relief. Soon we can do two vertebrae here in America.
I’m still waiting for a diagnosis and I’m so sorry I tried to move a heavy dresser.
Bill well.

Last April I had a 2-tier disk replacement on c 4/5 and c 5/6. Last week I just had radiofrequency ablation on 4 facet joints both on and under the operated site. This was after I had two sets of blocking injections (in March and again in May). I'm still in pain every single day. What else can I do???

Very helpful video. I've already had both injections and am looking at RFA in about 2 weeks but thanks for elaborating on those first two injections. I've received a summary of treatment and was a little puzzled why the drug used was different from one to the other but now I know!

I have found this video very helpful. Thank you!

this makes me so mad. i've had a sore neck for over 2 months. these clowns dont want to help. give us free advice to treat with no MRI and injections that could just be a placebo effect. you said steriod would treat but then you'd have to stretch and build muscle strength after, so give us the stretch and strength exercises already you taint

Thank you!!!

Great explanation and i use your way to diagnostic the patient and i combine treatment with hijamah at vertebrata Bones and Thai massage way.. It's really work limitless the back Pain.. Thankyou for your explanation 🙏

Thank you for this. Can you do more of these exercises for back pain? ❤

Great explanation. I'm having facet joint blocks tomorrow and my surgeon has also mentioned radiofrequency ablation as another option later down the line if needed. I now know exactly what to expect. Thank you

Excellent video 👍👍 ( from a fellow medic).

4 spinal doctors looked at my MRI and said my disk wasn't hitting my nerve root so I was fine, I went in a wheel chair due to barley being able to walk and losing everything in my life because again, all 4 doctors didn't see it. I asked for yet another MRI (#4 in 2 years) and made sure they used contrast. They found a 5x3x3mm cyst near my L5 S1 which is where the pain is radiating and where I've had previous surgery once when I got a discectomy, they said there's a growth yes, but it's hade to tell if it's hitting my nerve root….. OMG I'm literally a 37 year old crying in pain at the doctors and all they cared about was the MRI and not my symptoms. Saying I'm fine….. so when you said in your video to assess the patient, Not the MRI, it made me tear up withing you lived near me so I could go to you to have this drained/removed or whatever is needed. I was literally told to go on painkillers because no one can figure out exactly what's happening and lost my company that I've taken years to built due to my lack of movement and the extreme pain I feel, both oxycodone first and tried tramodol second, with neither helping. There is also a growth in my neck that I asked to address and they said that that growth was not pushing on my nerve on the MRI as well although I can't live a moment without having ice on my neck because of how painful it is. God I wish to find a doctor that will treat my symptoms and come up with a plan of execution that way rather than relying on semi distorted Imaging and saying I'm fine and to pretty much just be on disability and pain medication…. I need a cure, not pain crap! Love your videos! Thank you for opening up my eyes on this and I'll be sharing this with my doctor