A common cause of recurring back pain is wear and tear in the area of the small vertebral joints. They are located at the back of the spine and are also known as facet joints. Hence the technical term facet syndrome.

Although facet syndrome is associated in up to 40% of all cases with Chronic back pain the diagnosis is rarely made. Effective therapy is then not possible.

Facet joint syndrome: Precise treatment of your pain

A common cause of recurring back pain is wear and tear in the area of the small vertebral joints. They are located at the back of the spine and are also known as facet joints. Hence the technical term facet syndrome. Although facet syndrome is associated in up to 40% of all cases with Chronic back pain the diagnosis is rarely made. Effective therapy is then not possible.

What is facet joint syndrome?

Acute blockages of the facet joints correspond clinically to a sudden onset of back pain, also known colloquially as "lumbago". Chronic wear and tear can in turn lead to recurring, deep-seated back pain. Symptoms of vertebral joint arthrosis often occur immediately after standing up and intensify when bending forwards. This vertebral joint wear is also known as spondylarthrosis. As each movement segment of the spine has two facet joints and the extent of the changes seen on the X-ray often does not correspond to the area of pain, individual diagnosis is crucial. The aim here is to precisely identify the facet joint that is causing the pain and, if necessary, to find new approaches. The Claim of the Schmerzwerkstatt Munich is an individualised therapy with gentle procedures.

What is facet syndrome?

As each movement segment of the spine has two facet joints and the extent of the changes that can be detected in the X-ray image often does not correspond to the area of pain, individual diagnosis is crucial.

The aim here is to precisely identify the facet joint that is causing the pain and, if necessary, to find new approaches. The Claim of the Schmerzwerkstatt Munich is an individualised therapy with gentle procedures.

Precise work sometimes requires unusual approaches

Image findings are not sufficient to make a diagnosis. This is because anatomical changes visible on an MRI or CT scan do not necessarily have to be accompanied by symptoms. Targeted facet joint blocks provide clarity and help to avoid ineffective therapies or unnecessary operations.

Based on the initial consultation, the physical examination and the results of the imaging, possible pain-triggering structures are identified and individually anaesthetised under X-ray control. If this is followed by a reduction in pain, a pain generator has been identified with certainty. At the end of the diagnostic process, the Munich Pain Workshop produces an individualised pain map that precisely indicates the need for action. This forms the basis of a treatment concept tailored to each individual patient.

Following the Diagnostic blockade This may be followed by facet infiltration with a therapeutic objective. The aim here is to break through the inflammatory irritation. In most cases, 3 injections are sufficient to reduce pain for several months. For the exact placement of the injections, we have the latest generation of mobile X-ray equipment (C-arm) at our disposal in the Munich pain workshop.

Our treatment is an individualised combination of different therapeutic procedures for each patient. This mosaic of Physiotherapy, Medication and direct interventions in the area of the small vertebral joints enables pain to be reduced while at the same time improving quality of life.

The technology of Facet denervations is based on heat obliteration of the nerve branch that transmits pain impulses from the facet joint to the spinal cord. The intervention, which is performed under local anaesthetic, does not cause any functional impairment in everyday life. The pain relief often lasts for several months, sometimes even longer, after the procedure, which is performed in the practice on an outpatient basis.