How Facet Disease Causes Spinal Bone Spurs

In most cases, facet disease causes neck or back pain in one of two ways: irritation of small nerve endings that innervate a deteriorated joint, or compression of the spinal cord or a nerve root caused by the growth of bony protuberances called osteophytes (bone spurs). Other symptoms, such as back or neck stiffness or a reduction in mobility, may be related to joint inflammation or the diminished flexibility of the joint due to a loss of cartilage. Bone spurs might also contribute to stiffness, or even to that "popping" or "cracking" sound - known as crepitus - that often accompanies spinal arthritis.

The Anatomical Reason Facet Disease Causes Bone Spurs

The one major cause of facet disease is the normal aging process, which results in the slow deterioration of the facet joints in the spine. As the body ages, the cartilage that lines the pairs of joints where vertebrae meet and articulate can begin to wear down. This deterioration can be exacerbated by traumatic injury or by an existing genetic condition, but the ultimate result usually is the same - swelling, a loss of mobility, and the eventual development of osteophytes. How does facet disease trigger the development of bone spurs? The same way arthritis leads to bone spurs in other joints. That is, as a joint begins to lose stability, the body responds by attempting to add extra bone material at the site. Just as a bone spur might grow along the edges of an arthritic wrist or ankle, osteophytes may appear along the edges of vertebrae that begin to lose stability as facet joint cartilage deteriorates. Bone spurs do not hurt, but they can press on surrounding tissue and this can cause pain - especially if the bone spur compresses a major nerve structure like the spinal cord or a nerve root.

What Can Be Done About It?

While facet disease and other forms of arthritis are not considered curable, pain and other symptoms usually can be managed with a regimen of conservative treatments that may include pain medication, stretching exercises, low-impact cardiovascular workouts, and other nonsurgical methods. Spinal bone spurs might also be removed surgically if conservative treatment proves ineffective, but surgery generally is considered the last resort.