Facet Syndrome — Lumbar Spine

Let's understand a little anatomy so that we can understand what Facet Syndrome really is. Facet (pronounced fuh-set, not fa-sit), is the face where the joints of your back meet and move over one another. Ideally these joints sit nicely separated and comfortably move in a joint complex. Unfortunately, with certain stresses, these facets can be jammed into one another, causing inflammation and pain.

A typical cause of Facet Syndrome is when the bones are displaced, either by tight muscles, malposition of the spine, or injury causing either of these. The pain associated with this condition is typically localized and very sharp, often felt in the hip, buttock, or above the knee. The difference in diagnosis between Facet Syndrome and Radiculopathy is in the fact that there are no findings other than pain with Radiculopathy (reflexes and muscle strength is intact, no numbness or tingling).

At Green Chiropractic in San Francisco, Dr. Jacob has the expertise to test and diagnose these and other ailments correctly so that treatment is specific and successful.