Every person’s spine is a series of stacked vertebra with joints called facet joints that help stabilize the spine and allow you to flex and move your back. Facet are covered with cartilage to protect the bones and allow the joints to move smoothly with lubrication.
Injury to facet joints make it difficult to twist, bend, stand, sit, or move your spine in any way, which makes them a real problem for living a normal, functioning life. Car accidents are one major cause of facet joint injury in the young, while older people tend to acquire facet joint injuries with age.
While there may be a circumstance where someone with a facet joint injury should undergo surgery, most instances are treated through non-surgical strategies. Physical therapy or chiropractic care are common forms of facet joint injury treatment, often paired with anti-inflammatory medications. More permanent solutions for facet joint injury involve destroying the nerve endings sending the message of pain or fusing the vertebrae together to stop the joints from moving.
Anyone who has suffered a facet joint injury in Atlanta due to someone else’s actions may benefit from speaking with a personal injury attorney.