A common cause: facet joint syndrome
In approximately 15-41% of patients with chronic low back pain, the cause is a problem with the facet joints.
What are joint facets?
These are the small joints that connect one vertebra to another and allow the back to bend and rotate.
Over time, these joints can wear down or become inflamed, causing pain.
How to recognize pain from joint facets?
- Pain localized in the lower back.
- Worsening of pain with extension (arching backward) or rotation of the spine.
- Pain that may radiate to the hip or upper thigh, but without tingling or loss of strength.
How is facet pain diagnosed?
When pain is suspected to originate from the facet joints, a diagnostic block may be performed:
- Under radiological guidance, an anesthetic is injected near the nerves of the facet joints.
- If the pain subsides after the injection, it means that those joints are the cause of the pain.
What treatments are available?
If the diagnostic block is positive, one of the most effective solutions is:
Radiofrequency denervation of the facet joints
It is a minimally invasive treatment that involves:
- Insertion of a needle near the painful nerve under radiological guidance.
- Application of controlled heat (approximately 80°C) that “deactivates” the nerve.
- This can reduce or eliminate pain for 6–12 months or even longer.
If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.
It is a safe technique, well-tolerated and with very few risks.