Facet syndrome (also called facet joint disease) is one of the most common causes of chronic back pain. The pathology is treated with conservative methods, and if doctors cannot eliminate pain, they switch to minimally invasive procedures and operations. You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to make an appointment for your treatment of facet syndrome in Germany. Doctors in this country will help you get rid of pain with a minimally invasive procedure that is performed under local anesthesia and does not require a hospital stay. Our company's specialists will help you find the most suitable clinics in Germany that specialize in the treatment of spinal diseases and achieve the best results in this medical field.
Content
- What is facet syndrome?
- Conservative therapy
- Radiofrequency denervation
Most patients receive conservative therapy. Radiofrequency facet joint denervation can become an option if it is not effective enough. In rare cases, a facetectomy can be carried out as well. The affected joints are removed during this surgical procedure, which is followed by the stabilization of the operated spinal segments.
You can seek medical attention from the Hospital Neuwerk Moenchengladbach, the Vivantes Auguste-Viktoria Hospital Berlin, or the Catholic Clinic Koblenz-Montabaur.
You are welcome to use the services of the Booking Health company. We will help you prepare the documents, book hotel and airline tickets, meet you at the German airport, and take you to the hospital by car. Upon the completion of your treatment, we will take care of your return transfer. Due to the lack of taxes for foreign patients, the cost of treatment for you will be lower than when you contact the hospital directly.
What is facet syndrome?
Facet joints, which are located above and below each vertebral body, allow the spinal column to move. These are true joints that have articular cartilage and the synovial capsule.
Facet syndrome is a pain syndrome that occurs as a result of microtrauma and chronic inflammation. People who experience a high load on their spine usually suffer from it.
Diagnostic signs of facet syndrome include the following:
- bilateral spinal pain;
- muscle spasm;
- absence of radicular symptoms;
- pain intensifies with extension and leaning to the side and weakens with leaning forward;
- pain does not radiate below the knee;
- X-rays or CT scans show signs of facet joint lesions;
- facet joint block reduces pain.
Conservative therapy
Most patients with facet syndrome undergo conservative therapy. This includes lifestyle modifications, drugs, and non-drug treatments.
Basic treatment options include:
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- therapeutic exercises;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- myorelaxants;
- weight loss.
Doctors perform drug blocks to temporarily reduce pain. Local anesthetics with glucocorticoids are injected into the area of the facet joints to block the conduction of impulses along the sensory nerves. The procedure provides improvement for up to 3 months, after which it can be repeated.
Radiofrequency denervation
You can get rid of your facet syndrome for a long time by destroying the nerves that conduct pain signals from the facet joints. They can be destroyed by various methods, including surgical, laser, chemical, cryoneurolysis, etc. Radiofrequency ablation has become the most widespread medical practice.
Before this procedure, patients are given a drug block for diagnostic purposes. If the pain syndrome disappears, radiofrequency denervation is highly likely to be effective. The block can be carried out twice to improve the accuracy of the forecast.
Radiofrequency facet joint denervation is a minimally invasive procedure performed under local anesthesia and X-ray guidance. A doctor inserts a needle into the joint, places electrodes on the target tissue, and applies energy to destroy the tissue with heat. As a rule, the probe is heated to 60-90 degrees, and the exposure time is one and a half to two minutes. The procedure allows patients to get rid of pain for 12 months or more.
Facetectomy is a rare treatment option that can only be used in cases where no other methods help to get rid of chronic spinal pain. This is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the facet joint and the subsequent fixation of the operated segment.
You can undergo your diagnostics, treatment, and neurological rehabilitation in Germany to get good and long-term results with a minimal risk of complications. You can find out the cost of procedures and operations on the Booking Health website. You can compare prices and make your treatment appointment at the best price right here. We will select the best medical centers for you and arrange your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Sergey Pashchenko and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
Articles for Orthopaedic Practice - Orthogate
MedlinePlus
