Cervical Facet Syndrome: Why Certain Neck Movements Trigger Sharp, Localized Pain

Have you ever felt a sudden sharp pain in your neck when you turned or tilted your head? The pain could be caused by cervical facet syndrome, a condition that affects the small joints in your neck. 

What Is Cervical Facet Syndrome?

Your cervical spine includes seven bony vertebrae. Small joints between the vertebrae at the back of the spine make it possible to bend and twist your neck and help keep your neck stable. These facet joints are covered in rubbery cartilage and surrounded by fluid-filled capsules that contains nerve endings.

Cervical facet syndrome occurs when you experience neck pain due to inflammation, irritation, or wear and tear in the facet joints. The syndrome is particularly common. In fact, 55% percent of facet joint pain syndromes are due to issues with cervical facet joints, according to a 2024 article in The Korean Journal of Pain.

This syndrome can develop after a neck injury, but is often related to aging. Poor posture or performing repetitive movements that strain the neck may also cause cervical facet syndrome.

Age-related wear and tear thins the cartilage that cushions the facet joints and may eventually lead to cervical spondylosis, or arthritis of the neck. Cervical spondylosis affects more than 85% of people over 60, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

How Do Neck Movements Cause Pain?

Neck movements trigger pain when:

• Bones Rub Together. Cartilage cushions joints and helps the bones in the joint move smoothly and easily. When cartilage wears away, the ends of the bones rub together, causing pain. Even small movements can trigger sharp pain, such as turning your head to look in the side mirror when driving.
• Cervical Facet Joints Are Inflamed. Neck movements irritate inflamed cervical facet joints, causing jolts of pain. Pain may occur in a small area or might travel to your shoulders or the base of your skull.
• Compression Occurs. Bending or tilting your head compresses one side of your spine, increasing pressure on inflamed or arthritic cervical facet joints. 
• Your Muscles Tighten. Cervical facet syndrome can cause muscle guarding, which occurs when your neck muscles tighten in an attempt to protect an injured area. Muscle guarding can cause headaches and painful muscle spasms in your neck.
• You Have Bone Spurs. As cartilage wears away, your body may attempt to make the neck stronger by forming bony growths, or bone spurs. When you move your neck, the bone spurs press on nerves, causing sharp pain.

Is Chiropractic Treatment Helpful for Cervical Facet Syndrome?

Chiropractic treatment offers an effective way to manage neck pain caused by cervical facet syndrome. After an evaluation, your chiropractor will recommend treatments designed to help your neck move more easily and decrease pain, irritation, and inflammation. 

Common treatments for cervical facet syndrome include:

• Heat and Ice. Before performing other treatments, your chiropractor may use heat or ice to ease pain, muscle tension, or inflammation.
• Adjustments. Neck pain can worsen if the vertebrae in your neck are misaligned. Adjusting the vertebrae improves movement, reduces inflammation and pain, increases blood flow, and eases pressure on the spine and the nerves. Quick thrusts applied to the neck improve alignment during an adjustment.
• Soft Tissue Therapy. Soft tissues therapies, including massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy, loosen tight muscles and prompt the body to release pain-killing hormones. 
• Spinal Mobilization. Spinal mobilization eases tension in the small muscles that surround the vertebrae. Your chiropractor gently stretches the muscles to reduce pain and promote healing.
• Exercises. Your chiropractor will teach you exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles in the neck and upper back. Strengthening these muscles improves stability and could decrease pain.

Struggling with neck pain? We'll determine the cause and offer treatments that will relieve your pain and make moving your neck much easier. Contact our office to schedule your appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

The Korean Journal of Pain: Facet Joint Disorders: From Diagnosis to Treatment, 1/1/2024

https://www.epain.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.3344/kjp.23228

Mayo Clinic: Facet Arthritis

https://sportsmedicine.mayoclinic.org/condition/facet-arthritis/

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center: Facet Joint Syndrome

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/brain-spine-neuro/spine-diseases-conditions/facet-joint-syndrome

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Cervical Spondylosis

https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/cervical-spondylosis-arthritis-of-the-neck/

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Spinal Manipulation: What You Need to Know, 9/2022

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/spinal-manipulation-what-you-need-to-know

Sunrise Chiropractic Clinics

Visit Our Business Listing Visit Website