Calcified joints in the waist and neck are small joints located on both sides of the back of each vertebra. These joints connect the vertebrae directly to each other from the back, allowing the movement of the spine. They are called facet joints and are equipped with very complex nerves. They are very sensitive to pain. The structure of these joints, which are of great importance in the mobility of our spine, may deteriorate depending on age and traumas and may cause serious neck and low back pain. While the pain is exacerbated by leaning forward in lumbar and neck hernia, it increases with leaning back and turning to the side in lumbar and neck calcification. In addition to aging, inappropriate lifestyles such as doing hard sports for a long time, carrying heavy loads and having the wrong body posture are the most important predisposing factors for calcification.
In addition to providing the movement of the spine, another function of the facet joints is to form a part of the holes called neural foramen, where the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord leave the spinal canal and come out. Enlargement of the facet joints can occur due to trauma, excessive load on the spine, or other bone diseases. In this case, the holes through which the nerves pass will be narrowed and the patient will experience symptoms resembling a herniated disc. If these are in the neck, neck pain radiating to the shoulder and arm; in the lower back, it can be summarized as low back pain radiating to the hip and leg.
More neck pain in the neck, radiating pain in the arm, headache, neck stiffness, weakness in the arm – numbness – burning – stinging, weakness in the hands – decreased dexterity – numbness – tingling, tinnitus, dizziness and blurred vision may cause symptoms.
In the treatment of low back and neck calcification, it can be controlled with interventional methods such as facet joint injection and facet joint medial branch radiofrequency.
The nerves of the facet joints do not control the movement of your muscles in any part of your body, they only carry pain signals to the brain. Facet joint medial branch radiofrequency therapy aims to prevent the pain transmission of these nerves.
These interventional methods are only a part of the treatment. Another point that is at least as important as these is the post-treatment education of patients. When training is mentioned, the exercise program that should be given to the patient and teaching the behaviors that should be done and avoided in order to treat the body correctly come to mind. Only in this way is it possible to have a healthy spine.
