back pain

what does moderate-tosevere facet arthropathy with ligamentum flavum thickening mean in English?

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Back pain can be a result of irritation of or damage to structures of the spine (e.g., periosteum, ligament, dura, and joints). The damage can be from injury/overuse, arthritis, etc, which can thicken structures of the spine. (The structures you mention are a few of the posterior components of the spine). With time these components can cause muscle spasm described as a diffuse, burning pain.

Treatment of these types of pains includes NSAIDs and physical therapy. If no improvement with these, a pain specialist may opt to do a procedure called facet joint block.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.