Bilateral facet joint hypertrophy

Hi All,

I age 29. I am suffering from lower back pain for past 3 years. My profession demands me to sit and work for 12-15 hrs/day. I am obese. When I workout in gym the pain goes off, but when I leave workout for three or more days, it comes back.

When I recently consulted Orthopedic doctor, he requested me to take an MRI. I got the MRI result and the impression is "Bilateral facet joint hypertrophy is seen at L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1".

I have the next appointment with the doctor after two days. Can you all please help me in understanding the seriousness of this. Do I need a surgery?

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Facet joint hypertrophy is an enlargement of the posterior articular processes between adjacent vertebrae and occurs when they become enlarged due to degenerative changes. Further degeneration can cause compression of nerves and other structures in the area, leading to pain and cartilage damage with development of bony projections called osteophytes. While initial stages are usually managed with conservative treatment; interventional/ surgical options are reserved for severer cases or those that fail to respond to conservative management. It would be best to discuss the condition in detail and the possible management options best suited for you with your orthopedician.
Hope this was useful.

Take care!