How Stem Cell Therapy Can Treat Lumbar Facet Injuries

Lower back pain is the most common pain symptom experienced by American adults and is the second most common reason for primary care physician visits. According to the National Institute of Health, facet joints may account for 40 percent of lower back pain. In fact, lumbar facet syndrome is one of the most common lower back conditions treated by chiropractic doctors and orthopedic specialists today.

This condition, often called “mechanical back pain,” indicates altered joint mechanics contributing to lower back pain. Living with acute or chronic pain caused from a lumbar facet injury or facet syndrome is a daily struggle and finding relief can be challenging. Your Spine Correction Center team is here for you. Our highly skilled pain doctors are committed to finding and eliminating the source of your pain.  

What is a Lumbar Facet Injury?

Lumbar facet injuries and pain are most commonly linked to Facet Syndrome, which is a common biomechanical problem of the lower back. The facets are the small joints that allow the spinal vertebra to move. The facets, or joints, are located on either side of the spinal canal and just behind the disc, which is located in the front of the spinal canal. The joints help limit spinal movement and add stability.

Lumbar Facet InjuryWhen these facet joints sustain an injury, subsequent inflammation can alter the biomechanics of your lower lumbar spine. The two involved joints may begin to crowd and grind, narrowing the openings for nerves from the spinal cord to pass through to your lower body. This narrowing can lead to mechanical lower back pain and irritation of the spinal nerves.

Lumbar Facet Injury Symptoms

There are dozens of conditions and disorders that can cause back pain, so diagnosis depends on accurate explanation of your symptoms. Look for common problems such as:

  • Lower back pain radiating into the buttocks, pelvic area or thighs
  • Neck pain radiating into the shoulders, arms or head
  • Pain that peaks at the beginning and end of the day or with changes in the weather
  • Headaches at the base of the skull, aching behind the eyes and/or ringing in the ears
  • The sound of bone rubbing on bone when you move
  • Abnormal curvature in the spine
  • Weakness or numbness in your legs or arms
  • Standing (or sitting) increases your back pain

Causes of Lumbar Facet Injuries

While back injuries and discomfort can be triggered by a variety of factors, the most common causes of lumbar facet injuries can be categorized into four main groups:

  • Acute trauma: These are injuries sustained from motor vehicle accidents, sports, work activities, twisting, lifting or falling.
  • Chronic repetitive trauma: These are injuries that occur from repetitive bending, twisting and occupational postural strain. Often, minor trauma begins as a dull lower backache and then develops into a sharp pain. Chronic repetitive traumas can have a cumulative effect on the joints, increasing degenerative changes to the disc and cartilage on the joint surfaces over time.
  • Altered biomechanics: Some degenerative joint changes, often as a result of arthritis, can cause your joints to move contrary to how they should. Congenital joint development has been cited as a factor. Obesity and muscle deconditioning can also contribute to altered biomechanics.
  • Family History: Some people are genetically predisposed for degenerative problems involving their lumbar facets.

Lumbar Facet Injury Treatment Options and Stem Cell Therapy

At Spine Correction Center, we like to exhaust every natural, non-invasive, non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical treatment option before we resort to other options. Prior to Stem Cell Therapy becoming available, most people suffering from lumbar facet injuries or Facet Syndrome had to rely on frequent medications and sometimes surgery to eliminate their pain. But Stem Cell Therapy offers another treatment option that can keep you out of surgery and reduce your pain.

Spine Correction Center is one of the few clinics in the country to offer amniotic stem cells for Stem Cell Therapy. The goal of Stem Cell Therapy is to relieve pain through natural healing while promoting long-lasting results. Initial improvement may be seen within a few weeks and will steadily increase as your healing advances. Stem Cell Therapy allows you to return to the active lifestyle you enjoyed prior to injury.  

Stem Cell Therapy is performed right here in our Fort Collins office. We couple the treatment with rehabilitation (if needed) provided by our integrated team, to correct the reason behind your lumbar facet injury.  

Other treatment options for lumbar facet injuries include:

  • Rest
  • Physical therapy
  • Cold/hot therapy
  • Medications
  • Facet joint injections
  • Medial branch blocks
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Radiofrequency neurotomy

The Initial Visit

When you arrive for your first visit at Spine Correction Center, a member of our team will spend time collecting your medical and family history. This information helps us know how significant your lumbar facet problem is and how best to help you. As you get started with a treatment plan for your lumbar facet pain, we’ll most likely give you some at-home tips to implement.

Feel free to look at our patient testimonials to see what others have said about Spine Correction Center. We’re proud to be part of your healthcare team and want to thank you for considering us to help with your lumbar facet pain.

Free Lumbar Facet Injury Consultation

If you’re suffering from a lumbar facet injury, we’re ready to help. Contact us online or call (970) 658-5115 today to schedule your free consultation!