Facet Joint Pain Explained

[@andrewhenderson7964]

Most comprehensive explanation I've heard so far. Thanks doc.

[@smoove354]

I live in north Brunswick , I need to come see you ! This facet / compressed nerve has debilitated me on the left side . I'm in agony!!!

[@el-hp1lj]

any luck so far im in south brunswick ive been going to princeton ortho im on the fence right now with the help im getting

[@mariepaul9736]

I have found this video very helpful. Thank you!

[@buhlekhumalo9354]

Hello Doc very infotainment thanks to that. I have several back pain and it goes from the back to the groin down my legs. It feels like sciatica but my MRI results did not show any abnormalities. So Dr ordered this week Facet joint infiltration on L4 -5 and L5 - S1 i listen to your video and I'm so optimistic coz when Dr told me my MRI are normal I felt like a fool. thank uuuu soooo much

[@buhlekhumalo9354]

Informative

[@Isaac5123]

😅 or entertainment ​@@buhlekhumalo9354

[@philmisc3513]

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

[@rmoran9999]

That was a great video thank you

[@shannonmoore1494]

My education on this because it is a new diagnosis for me is sitting to standing is a frequent symptom. Pain in the groin region in the creases of the leg and a few other common problems. In all my life I have never experienced pain to the degree I have that comes along with this. I have previous chronic back problems and had my share of discomfort and it took really close digging to come to a diagnosis. My back is not my biggest fan. Many years of athletics and broken back by car etc. I've never come close to falling out as i have with the pain its causing. Im just about to start the steps to find what works I'm dreaming about the time I can walk to the end of my sidewalk unaided and no limping or dreading getting to the my room at the opposite side of the house. Thx for the video!

[@stuartmoles7138]

Pain in the groin area, in my case, was down to a hip joint artritic failure so i underwent hip joint replacement 100 % improvement

[@c.r.hackett6464]

Great presentation..just wondering why you kept stating how we do it in the United states?

[@marcydobbs1653]

Thank you. I've talked with 3 doctors who planned RFA or locks for me, and none of them explained it as well as you did. CT scan scheduled Tuesday. At least this time I'm prepared.

[@marcydobbs1653]

Not locks, I meant blocks.

[@CPaiva99]

Thank you, Dr.Grant, for this great educational video, I just got 2 injections this week on my C4~5&5C5-6, and hoping this is aggressive action will alleviate my painful situation; and then I plan to incorporate these 3 exercises! And wishing you a Happy New Year !🎉

[@SamuelNormandeau]

Very insightful, thank you!

[@jeffford181]

Very well presented and informative. I have had several facet joint injections (lumbar region) with differing results, sometimes probing a nerve with instant pain and pain during the injection of medication into the capsule. Some injections had mild relief and one with complete instant relief. No pain during the injection and good result. I dont know if there was any difference in medication, but I would go for that again. Thank you for your video.

[@joshbehehe]

Thank you. Great video

[@joshbehehe]

Could a facet joint in the thoracic region relate intense muscle cramps in the side ribs and abdomen? I’ve been looking for relief from that for years. The more I research the more I suspect the facet. Epidurals and intercostal nerve blocks didn’t help. Thank you!

[@123Goldhunter11]

Thanks. I was referred to a pain clinic due to a chronic lower back ache. Now I know what to expect. I hear the Buddha beat himself with a stick so he could enjoy not being beaten with a stick. grin.

[@dannymcdougallphd]

Very informative for us patients who like to nerd-out. :)

[@CPaiva99]

Thank you again for this video, It is an excellent explanation of my issues with facet joints

[@BethVonBlack]

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

[@adamcenteno6155]

Why is it that when I go to chiropractors they don’t tell you this. Then all of a sudden I come across this video and find the answers but cannot go see them because I live so far from them. That sucks!

[@bpickens44]

Very helpful. Just had the two diagnostic injections and the radiofrequency neurotomy procedure one week ago. So far no relief. How long should it take to achieve pain relief? Thank you, Dr Cooper.

[@tncorgi92]

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!

[@UmmerFaseel]

Excellent video 👍👍 ( from a fellow medic).

[@kikigirlkauai]

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.

[@quicknotesmedia9540]

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

[@tracyfortier1528]

I had cervical block and it caused more pain. I also was unable to feel my legs, and I had to support my head because it fell over. Can you explain the possibility why this happened?

[@PrincetonSpineJointCenter]

That is very hard to explain if it was a facet joint injection or a medial branch block. Perhaps you had a cervical epidural? In any event, it sounds like something you definitely should talk with your doctor about in order to fully understand what happened and what it might mean for you moving forward.

[@sylviamartinez5242]

Are there any bad side effects from burning the nerve?

[@ratnayuana9815]

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 🙏

[@ratnayuana9815]

I mean limitless the lower back Pain.

[@sylviamartinez5242]

Why does it hurt so bad ? And with weather makes it worse

[@meesh1002]

I’m not having pain bending backwards but it’s on my left side when I keep my left buttock on surface while bending to the right. My chiropractor and Pt still believe that it’s facet because I’m loading my spine and I’m having muscle spasms around that area. Problem is that it was not picked up on MRI. Does this happen often?

[@ChrisEzio]

Hey doc. Can I do microdiscectomy for my herniated disc uf I have also facet joint pain? Or MD will make my back worst?

[@Cholostallion]

all signs point to facet joint except that bending forward hurts the worst. Everything I am seeing says facet pain will improve when bending forward. Are there exceptions to this?

[@PrincetonSpineJointCenter]

Bending forward is usually a sign that the problem is from the disc or some other part of your spine OTHER THAN the facet joints. However, everyone presents differently. People with facet joint pain certainly can have worse pain with bending forward. This could be true for a host of reasons including that the muscles spasm to guard the spine against the pain, and bending forward irritates those muscles that are already tight or in spasm. In short, if you have pain that is worse with bending forward, I would think that should make you skeptical that it is the facet joints causing the pain but it definitely shouldn't rule it out completely.

[@Cholostallion]

@@PrincetonSpineJointCenter Thank you for taking the time to answer. X-rays of the lumbar showed plenty of disk spacing, which led the chiropractor to believe it's coming from the facets. As you explain in you podcast however it will take a branch block to confirm.

[@el-hp1lj]

My pain is bending forward, itll make me wince in pain if im not careful. Mornings are horrible. sleep will wake me up. bending backwards is ok but sometime ill get a sharp pain. I f feels blips of pain in butt and hip. if i hang from a bar and let my legs hang free i feel a seperating pain in the area. my mri showed L5S1 fissure and degernation but Dr beleives its the facets and wants to try injections. I just want some relief. it affects my mood and makes me a grumpy old man. im 43. I understand it can be more than just one issue, but i need some relieft and would hate to go thru injection for no help. I dont pop any pills. I just deal with it

[@jeniferschultz1804]

I have arthritis in my spine,discs facets joints it debilitating

[@jeniferschultz1804]

Lord i have terrible symptoms and pain,and when i was working full time several times an hour i had to lean on tables to ease the pressure and pain but one i learned back up it was hurting again in a matter of seconds,trying to get ssi

[@chrisgriffiths3629]

iam thinking of having endoscopic rhizotomy , my care got complicated along the way and stopped with a surgeon when I needed a pain neuro specialist . I had a wedge fracture at L1 for 10 yrs and this year I had 2 more spinal fractures L3& L4 and had spine jack vertoplasty which was great at first then my facet joint at L5 pain started , I had one medial branch nerve block and it worked 90 % for 6 hours then no relief 3 wks later from the steroids so I was told pain wasnt the facet joint but my kyphosis , this isnt kyphosis pain I know the difference its classic facet joint , cant bend backwards , ride in a car , heat helps etc , do I need more test injections or can I just go for Rhizotomy ? my surgeon wants me to wait to see if heal on my own , keep weight down do physio but hard to live with still , whats your advice please ?

[@calculator7]

Would a facet joint problem cause aching in the legs and feet? How about a quick “sting” sensation on the tops of feet or tips of toes? Thanks doc

[@PrincetonSpineJointCenter]

Facet joint problems can refer into the legs and feet but it's not the norm. Typically, facet joint pain would cause more dull, aching neck or back pain. But it can refer into the legs and even at times the feet (though this would be certainly unusual). Stinging sensation is much more characteristic of a nerve problem. If someone were to have stinging pain in their legs and feet, the first things that one would think of would be nerve pain. I hope that is helpful.

[@calculator7]

@@PrincetonSpineJointCenter Thank you for the information!

[@calculator7]

@@PrincetonSpineJointCenter I realize you can’t diagnose over the computer. But I had an EMG show radiculopathy at the L5 region, and showing nerve root irritation. Primarily left side, but some on the right. Probably explains the random “stings” I get. The mystery is, every doctor who reviews MRI’s, says they see nothing compressing the nerve root. No tumor, no bone spur, and no infection. I do have a herniated disc L4 L5, L5 S1, but they claim they are both “mild”, and NOT encroaching on the nerves. 4 surgeons all say the same thing. I have no answers as to what’s causing this nerve root irritation. Meanwhile, I can’t walk or stand for more than 15min without a deep aching in both legs and feet, with a intense fatigue feeling in legs. This forces me to have to sit or lay down. Any ideas or possibilities I or they may be missing?

[@grantcooperm.d.2988]

@@calculator7 One of the things that is a source of constant misunderstanding is what you have just described. It's one of the first questions that we used to be asked by our mentors in fellowship. How does this person have these symptoms when the MRI doesn't look too bad? The answer is this -- In the same way that a huge herniation can cause no symptoms in some people, a very small herniation can cause huge symptoms in other people. This is because the real cause of the symptoms is the inflammation around the nerve root. Now, it's true that usually you are going to have more inflammation from a more significant herniation and less inflammation in the absence of one. But it's not always the case -- sometimes someone will have relatively minor anatomic changes (small herniation, etc) but yet have miserable inflammation and pain. A lot of factors go into this such as genetics, luck, exercise, daily life, etc. The good news, when this is the case, is that it really should be primarily inflammatory in nature and therefore respond well to treating the inflammation (as opposed to being primarily mechanical and therefore possibly need surgical decompression). The first thing that one needs to do in a situation such as yours is to make sure that nothing has been missed on your diagnosis. That means structural on the MRI and it also means on the EMG that something like a plexopathy or other nerve issue wasn't overlooked. Then, assuming that is the case, and nothing has been missed, and what you are left with is bad radicular (sciatic) symptoms and a pretty decent MRI, then you probably need a good non-surgical interventional spine doctor to guide you. Surgeons know a lot about the spine, obviously, but when the structure is pretty good, the case becomes non-surgical and so your care should be guided, presumably, by a non-surgeon spine specialist.

[@calculator7]

@@grantcooperm.d.2988 Thank you so much for answering Dr. Cooper. I really appreciate you offering some guidance. Its been a long hard road, so I apologize for my lengthy messages haha. Thanks again

[@klikkerTV]

Can you have eardrum pressure from a cervical facet joint? I lose my hearing and on the MRI there isnt any disc herniation.

[@PrincetonSpineJointCenter]

That sounds a lot more like an ear problem than a facet problem. I would definitely suggest talking with an ENT doctor.

[@klikkerTV]

@@PrincetonSpineJointCenter Sadly, it comes from a pinched nerve in my neck. My ears are healthy.

[@dogwalker1973]

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???

[@kathymorehouse4040]

How do I relay that about the two medial blocks to a physician? All of mine have been done without diagnostic. Heading into more possible treatments for pain. But want the two blocks prior to the RFA. Need an accurate diagnosis. Wish I lived near your practice.

[@oocoder]

Very informative, I have a 16mm sanovial cyst at L4/5 (MRI), if I take 25 to 50mg of prednisone I get substantial relief, with no pain relief I cannot walk. Are Australian doctors familiar with your techniques. I have been going to a sports physician and physio for 4 months, their diagnosis was problems in my rib cage affecting the pelvis lye angle aggravating the sacroiliac joint. After 4 months I of treatment no progress I had the MRI above. The injections are done under local anaesthetic? What is a typical recovery time?

[@tonymaurice4157]

All talk And no real solutions waste of time

[@johnmitchell2741]

Bla Bla Bla Give me your money🤣

[@tonymaurice4157]

@John Mitchell That's all it is and doctors cure nothing! Stem cell may work for back pain.

[@johnmitchell2741]

HA HA HA We can't help you.Maybe in your next life you'll fell better🤣😂🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

[@whiterobin01]

Thank you!!!