PA / Honesdale / Wayne Memorial Hospital Directory of Hospitals Â· Directory of Health Systems Physicians by Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Â· Physicians by State
The facet joints glide and allow the spine to move freely with support. Facet arthrosis is degeneration or wear and tear of the facet joints. Severe facet arthrosis would be advanced degeneration, possibly with arthritis or bone spurs. This might cause pain, and/or cause stiffening of the spine, and/or even put pressure on the spinal nerves or thecal sac (which contains the spinal cord). I've put more information in the links below.
Just like the hip and the knee, the facet joints can also become arthritic and painful, and they can be a source of back pain. The pain and discomfort that is caused by degeneration and arthritis of this part of the spine is called facet arthropathy, which simply means a disease or abnormality of the facet joints.