Low back pain is one of the most common reasons patients seek pain management care, and facet joint pain is a frequent, and often overlooked, contributor. The facet joints are small joints located along the back of the spine that allow it to bend and twist; when they become irritated from arthritis, injury, or repetitive strain, they can produce persistent, localized pain.
Facet joint pain typically feels like a dull, aching stiffness in the lower back that worsens with standing, twisting, or arching backward, and often improves when sitting or leaning forward. It can also refer pain into the buttock or upper thigh, which sometimes leads to confusion with sciatica or hip problems.
Diagnosis usually begins with a physical exam and, when needed, a diagnostic facet joint injection or medial branch block, a small amount of numbing medication placed near the nerves supplying the joint, to confirm the source of pain. If the diagnostic block provides clear relief, radiofrequency ablation can be used to disable those nerves for longer-lasting results, often six months to a year or more per treatment.
Because low back pain can stem from several structures (discs, joints, muscles, and nerves) an accurate diagnosis matters as much as the treatment itself. Our team builds a plan around what’s actually driving your pain, not a one-size-fits-all approach.