Are you having neck pain but are not sure why? You notice you can’t turn your head as far as you used to and you are having pain and muscle spasms. If this is true, you could be experiencing cervical facet dysfunction.
What is a facet?
Facets are joints in your spine. They are located on the back and side of the bones in out spine, or vertebra. These joints play an important role in allowing our necks to move.
What are the causes?
Facet dysfunction can be caused by a few different things. Most commonly, we see the dysfunction as a result of a trauma like a car accident or sports related injury. We also see a lot of dysfunction from poor posture. Finally, we see dysfunction as a result of joint and disc degeneration from a lot of wear and tear over the years.
What are the symptoms?
- Pain in the neck or tenderness over the area of the joint
- Muscle spasms or pain in the muscles surrounding the joints in the neck
- Painful and limited motion in the neck
- Decreased strength in the neck
What should I do if I am having facet dysfunction?
It is important to address this issue as soon as it starts. Facet dysfunction can limit your ability to move your neck and perform your daily activities. With the help of physical therapy, we can decrease your pain and restore the space between your joints and allow you to regain your motion and strength to return to all of the activities you love pain free!
