ouchie

so.......i have been hurting for months...but lately the pain has increased...so i have had xrays and an mri on my lower back and found out today what is going on....i am thankful for my dr. he's a sweet , kind man who took the time to tell me everything i needed to know about what is going on....he listened to my questions and answered them all.....so this is what i have....
arthritis in my facet joints between L4 and L5....severe swelling there...he said it looked very agrivated.... and then to make matters worse i have a synovial cyst that is putting pressure on my nerve causing the pain in my legs and the numbness....
which means spinal stenosis too....lovely.....but with his help, physical therapy and epidural shots....i should get some relief.....i'm sure hoping things go well and i will be pain free soon....i'm thinkin surgery wouldn't be fun.....

Symptoms of Facet Joint Arthritis
The lumbar facet joints connect the individual bones that make up a spine. As a mechanical hinge of the body, a facet joint is subject to the same threat of arthritis as any other joint in the body. Facet joint arthritis produces acute symptoms that can de differentiated from nerve damage.

Identification
The facet joints are bone configurations that connect the vertebrae, or skeletal regions of the spine, to form a single functioning spinal column. Two facet joints, located at the back of the spine, link each pair of vertebrae. Like any other joint in the body, the facet joint allows movement. It's covered with a special cartilage known as articular cartilage. Facet joint arthritis affects the articular cartilage and bones of the facet joints.
Acute Symptoms
Many of the initial symptoms of facet joint arthritis are acute, and may only occur a few times a year. In the beginning stages of facet joint arthritis, the person affected typically feels discomfort when bending backwards rather than when bending forwards. The person may also notice a lack of flexibility in the spinal muscles through a condition known as "guarding."


Synovial Cysts in the Spine

For patients with degenerative spinal conditions, one cause of their back pain may be synovial cysts. Synovial cysts are benign, fluid-filled sacs that develop in the facet joints of the lumbar spine as a result of degeneration. If large enough, these sacs can cause spinal stenosis - a narrowing of the spinal canal that places pressure on spinal nerves and causes pain.