This is an update to the previous story written here. As shown in the image at top, the facet joints are located at the rear of the spine and link adjoining vertebrae together.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facet_joint:
The biomechanical function of each pair of facet joints is to guide and limit movement of the spinal motion segment...The facet joints, both superior and inferior, are aligned in a way to allow flexion and extension, and to limit rotation. This is especially true in the lumbar spine.
Old arthritic facet joints make the spine stiff and painful to flex. If this occurs at the lumbar spine, the primary symptom is pain and stiffness upon transitioning from sitting to standing. A complete list of facet joint symptoms can be found here. One medical treatment that offers a possibility of improvement is injection of platelet enriched plasma into these joints. A comprehensive review of platelet enriched plasma can be found here and a case study of platelet rich plasma injected into facet joints of 5 patients can be found here. A comprehensive list of facet joint disorder treatments can be found here.
I had two rounds of platelet enriched plasma injections done on the facet joints at L4 and L5. Unfortunately it did not make any difference for me. The only other surgical treatments are for pain relief and that is not my primary concern - my concern is impairment. Pain is merely a signal that something is not right. The situation reached a crisis stage when I aggravated the condition by trying to lift something while in an awkward position. The increased pain and impairment made it difficult to simply walk.
So I got a lumbar support belt. This is a wide belt that is stiff in back, with provisions to cinch it up tight. This got me walking again, and after wearing it religiously for some days, I noticed my back was much improved. I'm now mostly walking without it and I treat my back more carefully - I am more gentle with my yoga stretches and very careful when I lift things. An unexpected happy ending.
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