What causes a cyst at the facet joint?

What causes a cyst at the facet joint?

What causes a cyst at the facet joint?

Synovial cysts develop as a result of degeneration in the facet joint in the lumbar spine. It is typically a process that only happens in the lumbar spine, and it almost always develops at the L4-L5 level (rarely at L3-L4).

Is a spinal cyst serious?

Are Spinal Cysts Dangerous? Spinal cysts are known as a benign, non cancerous lumps, which means that they are, inherently, not harmful to your body.

What is the best way to treat a synovial cyst lumbar?

Decompression with Spine Fusion Surgery The most reliable treatment method for a synovial cyst is to remove the cyst and then fuse the joint. Fusing the joint stops all the motion at that level of the spine, and without any motion, the cyst should not regenerate.

How do you treat a spinal cyst?

Spinal Cyst Treatment Conservative treatment may include rest, anti-inflammatory medications, painkillers, steroid injections and drainage. Though these approaches may temporarily relieve the symptoms, cysts may reform or refill, resulting in further discomfort.

What causes a cyst to grow on your spine?

The cause of spinal cysts is unknown, but they may result from degeneration and instability of the spine in areas subjected to repetitive motion, particularly the joints in the lumbar region. Patients with spinal cysts may have other degenerative conditions of the spine, such as arthritis and disk disease.

How do you treat a cyst on your spine?

What is a Facet cyst?

One very painful degenerative condition of the spine that I commonly see in my clinic is the facet cyst . These are also referred to as synovial cysts as they originate from the synovium (lubricating tissue that lines the opposing surfaces of a joint) of the spinal facet joints.

What causes cysts on the facet of the spine?

As the facet joint in your spine wears down with age, it can produce more fluid than a healthy joint as the damaged joint required more lubrication to ease movement. This increase in fluid may cause a cyst to develop.

How do you get rid of a Facet cyst?

Weight loss may help to further remove pressure on the spine and the facet joints. In some instances, facet cysts can be injected and drained but the chance of recurrence is relatively high and the aspiration may not work as the fluid can be very loculated and thick making aspiration difficult or impossible.

Is popping a Facet cyst a good idea?

Popping the cyst can be effective in many cases. Your doctor will inject the facet joint under guidance and overfill the cyst with liquid. The idea is that overfilling the cyst will expand it like a balloon being filled with water and it will eventually pop.