Have You Been Diagnosed with Facet Syndrome?
If you have been diagnosed with facet syndrome, treatment is probably the first thing on your mind. Depending on the location and severity of the damage to your spine’s facet joints, your physician can help you determine which treatments give the best chance of providing you with relief from your symptoms. Each person’s diagnosis and course of treatment will differ. However, there are some basic guidelines that everyone can expect from treatment.
Initial Facet Syndrome Treatment
In all likelihood, your doctor will recommend nonsurgical treatments first. These techniques avoid potential complications associated with surgery, and often produce symptom relief over a few weeks or months. Typical conservative facet syndrome treatment recommendations include:
- Being mindful of your posture throughout the day
- Incorporating low-impact exercise into your routine
- Taking time to stretch your spine
- Alternating use of hot and cold compression
- Taking medications to relieve symptoms
You may also choose to look into facet syndrome treatment alternatives like chiropractic care, acupuncture, and other strategies for managing pain and other symptoms, just be sure to keep your primary care doctor informed of any new forms of treatment you pursue.
When to Consider Surgery
In many cases, some combination of conservative treatment efforts will allow people to manage their symptoms without the need for surgery. However, conservative treatment does not work for everyone. If you have tried various nonsurgical treatment methods for months without experiencing satisfactory relief from the issues associated with facet syndrome, you may want to explore your surgical options.
Advances in medical technology and surgical techniques have allowed for the development of minimally invasive spine surgery to treat facet syndrome, such as the procedures we perform at BEST Health System. Our approaches are safer and more effective alternatives to traditional open spine procedures and offer our patients a shorter recovery period.
Contact the BEST team to learn more about our services.
