What is Facet Joint Pain?

What is facet joint pain? (and why does it feel so localised?)

Have you ever come into the clinic with pain in your lower back or neck that you can pinpoint? I’ll often see patients come in, point to the spot with one finger, and say, “It’s RIGHT there!” So often, it' related to something called facet joint pain.

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What is a facet joint?

These are small spinal joints connecting each vertebrae to the one below, running all the way from your neck to your low back, often helping to guide movement (like twisting and bending) as well as providing joint stability. Like any joint in the body, they can become irritated and stiff, often leading to (sometimes very sudden) specific localised pain and tenderness.

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What does facet joint pain usually feel like?

Normally, a small, localised area of pain that is often deep, aching or sharp rather than burning or tingling. It’s often worse with arching backwards and can present with stiffness on one side that may ease once you get moving.

It tends to behave a little differently than other pain, in that it:

• Usually doesn’t travel far down the arm or leg
• Is less likely to cause pins and needles, numbness or weakness

I often find patients describing it as “not everywhere, it’s just that one spot that won't let go!”

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What is the usual cause?

Facet pain often is one big, dramatic injury - it’s more often than not caused by something more everyday, such as:

• Repetitive strain over time, such as desk work, or jobs with repetitive bending
• Prolonged positions, like sitting down all day, where the joints get stiff and irritated

Sometimes you can pinpoint the exact moment it started, other times it’s a “i just woke up like this” or “it’s been sore for a while,” I see both in clinic, and the underlying issue is often the same - a joint not moving as well as it should, becoming irritated, and letting you know about it.

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What does the research say?

Facet joints are estimated to contribute to a large amount of spinal pain (especially the neck and low back), with some research suggesting that it may be involved in

• Up to 60% of chronic neck pain case
• Around 15-45% of low back pain cases

Chiropractic therapy combined with exercises can help improve both pain and function, so it's a great start if you have a niggle that just won't go away.

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Thinking about getting it checked?

These issues can be super frustrating - but they also typically respond well to the right kind of care. My focus as a chiropractor is to understand your specific presentation and help you move and feel better long term - not just a quick fix. If this blog post resonated, you’re most welcome to book in with me and have it properly assessed. See you soon in the clinic!