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"The c2-c3 facet joint was found to be the most common source of referred pain in patients with a dominant complaint of headache, c5-c6 was the most common source with cervical, axial and referred arm pain". eMedicine Journal June 2001
Areas of referred pain.
The areas highlighted are common sites for pain with damaged facet joints. Though the areas themselves may not be damaged, pain is felt in these areas - what is known as referred pain.
If you can identify the areas of pain it should prove easier in helping identify if you have damaged facet joints, and if so which ones. N.B. The areas of pain should be treated as symmetrical, e.g. the area highlighted behind the left ear indicates damage to the joint(s) on the left side. The corresponding area behind the right ear, indicates damage to the right side.
The previous two pages should have given an indication whether facet injury is a possible cause of your pain. The obvious question now is: "What can I do about it?".
The good news is that there is a treatment available that has a very high success rate in eliminating pain called a facet neurotomy. The next step now is to undergo testing to evaluate more accurately which facet joints may be damaged. THE PREVIOUS DIAGNOSTIC IS ONLY A GUIDE - NOT PROOF. Click on the doc to find out more about these tests and the neurotomy. (If you would prefer to go straight to searching for a doctor, click here.)
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