Understanding Your Lumbar X-Ray Results: Facet Joint Osteoarthritis with Disc Degeneration
Your lumbar X-ray shows two common age-related changes in your lower back: facet joint osteoarthritis and disc degeneration, which are often related conditions that can contribute to back pain.
What These Terms Mean
Facet Joint Osteoarthritis
- These are small joints at the back of your spine that help with movement and stability
- Osteoarthritis means the protective cartilage in these joints has worn down over time
- This can cause inflammation, bone spurs, and joint stiffness
Disc Degeneration
- The discs between your vertebrae act as cushions or shock absorbers
- Degeneration means these discs have lost water content, height, and elasticity
- This is a normal aging process, similar to getting gray hair
How These Conditions Are Related
These conditions often occur together because they're part of the same degenerative process 1. When discs degenerate and lose height, it places more stress on the facet joints, which can accelerate arthritis. Similarly, facet joint problems can affect disc health 2.
What This Means For You
Pain patterns: You may experience stiffness and pain, particularly:
- After waking up or periods of inactivity
- With certain movements, especially bending backward
- That improves with gentle movement but worsens with prolonged activity
Symptoms: These conditions can cause:
- Lower back pain that may radiate to your buttocks or upper legs
- Stiffness, especially in the morning
- Pain that worsens with certain positions or activities
Treatment Options
Non-medication approaches (most effective)
- Heat therapy for pain relief 3
- Physical therapy focusing on core strengthening and flexibility
- Regular exercise that doesn't aggravate symptoms (walking, swimming)
- Weight management to reduce stress on your spine
Medication options
- Topical NSAIDs (like diclofenac gel) have the best benefit-to-risk ratio 3
- Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or oral NSAIDs for short-term use
- Muscle relaxants for short periods (2-3 weeks) if muscle spasms are present 3
When to consider more advanced treatments
- If conservative treatments don't provide adequate relief after 4-6 weeks
- Options may include medial branch blocks or radiofrequency denervation for facet joint pain 4
Important Points to Remember
- These findings are extremely common as we age - many people with similar X-ray results have no pain at all
- The severity of X-ray findings doesn't always correlate with pain levels
- Most cases can be managed effectively with conservative treatments
- These conditions typically progress slowly over years, not weeks or months
When to Contact Your Doctor
- If you develop new or worsening symptoms like:
- Leg weakness or numbness
- Problems with bladder or bowel control
- Severe, unrelenting pain that doesn't respond to rest or medication
These findings help explain the source of your back pain and will guide your treatment plan moving forward.