What does degenerative changes of the facet joints mean?
Degenerative changes in the spine may cause body weight to shift unevenly to the facet joints. This extra burden causes wear and tear on the joint and changes it over time: the joint capsule thins, smooth cartilage breaks down and becomes irregular like a cobblestone street, and bone spurs may form (Fig. 1).
What are Apophyseal joints?
An apophyseal joint is a point where two or more bones join in the spine. The spinal joint is encapsulated by connective tissues, coated with cartilage and lubricated with synovial fluid to enable smooth joint articulation. Each vertebra has a pair of apophyseal joints- one on the left and one on the right.
What can be done for facet joint degeneration?
Treatment of Facet Joint Arthropathy and Back Pain
- Analgesia (pain medications)
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
- Physiotherapy.
- Steroid pain injection therapies.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
- Behaviour modification – e.g. avoiding heavy lifting.
- Bracing.
What causes degeneration of the facet joints?
Natural wear, tear and daily stresses cause joint degeneration over time. The facet joints can progressively degenerate from repetitive stresses due to poor posture, a physically demanding job, or years of playing sports and engaging in high-impact activities that place stress and pressure on the spine.
Is facet joint deterioration serious?
Degeneration and trauma to the facet joints may lead to instability of the entire motion segment. This segmental instability can affect nearby structures, such as the spinal nerves, muscles, and connective tissues. When the pain from a facet is localized to the lower back, it is called referred pain.
What is the joint classification of the Zygapophyseal joints?
The zygapophyseal joint is structurally classified as a plane synovial joint.
What type of joint is the intervertebral joint?
cartilaginous joint
Intervertebral discs are made of fibrocartilage and thereby structurally form a symphysis type of cartilaginous joint.
Is facet arthritis a disability?
According to the medical guide called the Blue Book published by the SSA, facet arthropathy might qualify as a disability if the severity of symptoms matches the guidelines published under Section 1.04. This section lists all musculoskeletal conditions that qualify disability applicants for financial assistance.
What is Sternocostal joint?
The sternocostal joints are formed between the medial end of the costal cartilages of ribs one to seven. The joint between the first rib and the sternum is cartilaginous, but all the others are synovial. Each is surrounded by a capsule and supported by radiate ligaments.