Facet Syndrome / Subluxation

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The facet joints are the joints that connect the vertebrae of the spine. All together, there are 48 facet joints, any of which can misalign or otherwise become locked, stiff and dysfunctional. 

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Problems with these joints are the biggest cause of spinal pain.

When they are not aligned and moving as they should, the patient can experience: pain, stiffness, difficulty with movement, discomfort when sitting and sleeping as well as referred symptoms to the leg and foot - numbness, pain, tingling, etc.

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They can be injured in many ways – bending and twisting (opens the joint), falls, lifting heavy loads, whiplash, etc. A facet joint can also “lock” for no apparent reason – usually this is a compensation for a weakness somewhere in the body, or a lack of proper muscle tone, or very commonly, too many hours at a computer, on a phone, etc., resulting in chronic muscle tension on the spine.

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Treatment for Facet Syndrome

Facet joints respond very well to spinal manipulation (adjustment or alignment). There are two ways to do this:

Manual manipulation – ‘unlock or click’ the joint to restore proper alignment and mobility
Mechanical manipulation – use of specialized tables to stretch or mobilize the joint.
  * Both work - patients may prefer one form of treatment over the other.
  * Severe cases – very inflamed or degenerative may require facet joint injection.

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Treatment Plan

Treatment will vary according to age, severity and duration of the condition:
Usually treat twice a week for two weeks, then once a week for two weeks.

 

Maintenance and Management

Facet joints that have been locked and out of alignment for many months will require monthly visits for 3-6 months after the initial course of treatment. This is because the local muscles and tissues have developed a ‘muscle memory’ pattern that is very likely to repeat itself over and over. To successfully break the pattern, these maintenance visits are of utmost importance.