Facet Joint Pain New Jersey

Could Your Facet Joints Be Causing Your Neck or Back Pain?

Many people are told they have arthritis in their spine after an X ray or MRI, but they are often left wondering what that actually means. Is it serious? Will it continue getting worse? Can anything be done about it?

The good news is that arthritis affecting the facet joints is one of the most common and most treatable causes of chronic neck and back pain.

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Todd Koppel has helped patients throughout New Jersey find relief from facet joint pain using advanced diagnostic techniques and minimally invasive treatments such as facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablation. By identifying the true source of pain before recommending treatment, he helps patients receive the care that is most appropriate for their condition.

What Are Facet Joints?

Facet joints are the small joints located on the back of each vertebra in your spine. These joints help stabilize the spine while allowing you to bend, twist, and move comfortably.

Like the knees, hips, or shoulders, facet joints can develop arthritis over time. As cartilage wears away, the joints become inflamed and may develop bone spurs, leading to pain and stiffness.

Doctors may describe this condition using several different names, including:

• Facet joint arthritis
• Facet joint syndrome
• Facet arthropathy
• Degenerative arthritis of the spine
• Spinal osteoarthritis

Although the names differ, they all refer to arthritis affecting the facet joints.

Symptoms of Facet Joint Pain

Facet joint pain usually develops gradually and often becomes worse over time.

Symptoms may include:

• Chronic neck or lower back pain
• Morning stiffness
• Pain that worsens after standing or walking
• Pain when bending backward
• Difficulty twisting your neck or back
• Headaches that begin at the base of the skull
• Pain that spreads into the buttocks or shoulders
• Pain that improves with sitting or changing positions

Unlike sciatica or a herniated disc, facet joint pain usually does not travel below the knee or produce significant numbness or tingling.

Neck Versus Lower Back Facet Joint Pain

Facet Joint Pain in the Lower Back

Lumbar facet arthritis often causes a deep aching pain across the lower back that becomes worse with standing, walking, or leaning backward.

Pain may spread into the buttocks or upper thighs but usually does not extend below the knee.

Because symptoms can overlap with low back pain, SI joint pain, or spinal stenosis, an accurate diagnosis is important.

Facet Joint Pain in the Neck

Facet arthritis in the cervical spine commonly causes:

• Neck stiffness
• Pain when turning your head
• Pain looking upward
• Headaches beginning near the base of the skull
• Pain that spreads into the shoulders

Some patients mistake these symptoms for muscle strain when the facet joints are actually responsible.

How We Diagnose Facet Joint Pain

An MRI can show facet joint degeneration, but arthritic changes on imaging do not confirm that those joints are causing the patient’s pain. Many people have facet changes on MRI with no symptoms at all.

Accurate diagnosis requires a diagnostic medial branch block. The medial branch nerves carry pain signals from the facet joints to the brain. A medial branch block injects local anesthetic around these nerves. If the patient experiences significant, temporary relief of their usual pain, it confirms that the facet joints are the source and that radiofrequency ablation would likely provide longer-lasting benefit.

Treatment Options

Treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms, your response to diagnostic testing, and how much your pain affects your daily life.

Facet Joint Injections

A corticosteroid injection directly into the affected facet joint reduces inflammation and provides relief typically lasting several weeks to several months. This also serves as a diagnostic confirmation.

Medial Branch Block

Both a diagnostic step and a temporary treatment. Confirms whether RFA is appropriate.

This simple outpatient procedure temporarily numbs the nerves supplying the facet joints and is considered the most reliable diagnostic test for facet mediated pain.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency Ablation is the definitive treatment for confirmed facet joint pain. Controlled heat disrupts the medial branch nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals from the facet joint to the brain. The nerve gradually regenerates over 9 to 18 months, during which most patients experience significant relief. The procedure can be repeated as needed when symptoms return.

Why Choose Dr. Todd Koppel?

Living with chronic neck or back pain can make it difficult to work, stay active, or enjoy everyday life.

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Todd Koppel has helped patients throughout New Jersey manage spine related pain using advanced interventional pain management techniques tailored to each patient’s condition.

Patients choose Dr. Koppel because he offers:

• Nearly 30 years of experience treating arthritis related spine pain
• Fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery
• Advanced image guided procedures for greater precision
• Extensive experience performing medial branch blocks and radiofrequency ablation
• Personalized treatment plans based on your diagnosis and goals
• A conservative approach that emphasizes minimally invasive treatment before surgery

His goal is to reduce pain, improve movement, and help patients return to the activities they enjoy.