Facet joint arthrosis ( vertebral joint arthrosis) / arthrosis of the small vertebral joints

Osteoarthritis of the vertebral joint mainly causes discomfort in the morning, known as start-up pain. Bending down and straightening up, as well as quick turning movements, intensify the symptoms. A sensitivity to the weather is widespread in osteoarthritis, the back or neck muscles are painfully hardened, accompanied by painful radiations into the arms or legs.

Our spine is designed for static load-bearing capacity combined with amazing mobility. In addition to the cartilage layer between the joints, the intervertebral discs also act as a buffer between the bones. If the intervertebral discs deteriorate due to incorrect posture, excess weight or overloading, the cartilage has to ensure that the spine moves smoothly. If this is also depleted, pain occurs during movement. Osteoarthritis is particularly common in the cervical spine and lumbar spine. The hollow back, hyperextension of the cervical spine and poor posture also lead to one-sided wear of the vertebral joints (facet joints). Sitting for long periods (office, car) weakens the muscles, heavy physical work (regular lifting and heavy carrying) leads to additional strain on these spinal structures and is a precursor to osteoarthritis of the vertebral joints (facet arthrosis).

Osteoarthritis means wear and tear of the joint and cannot actually be cured. However, there are successful therapies to at least delay osteoarthritis of the vertebral joint in the cervical or lumbar spine. The most important thing for patients suffering from pain is to reduce their symptoms. To do this, we use facet infiltration in our orthopaedic practice. This involves injecting a small amount of anti-inflammatory medication directly into the affected vertebral joint. In the case of chronic pain, we can use heat treatment (thermo-denervation) to interrupt the pain transmission of the nerve pathways to the muscles and thus eliminate the pain for months. Physiotherapy is then useful to loosen and strengthen the muscles. The patient is also given tips for everyday life. Surgery is not usually necessary for facet arthrosis. Spinal fusion is a major surgical procedure with an often unsatisfactory outcome.