СLINICAL SIGNS OF THE FACET SYNDROME AT THE LUMBAR LEVEL (RETROSPECTIVE STUDY)

Abstract

Reason of the study. Facet syndrome is one of the most common causes of back pain. A detailed clinical analysis of the pain syndrome of this disease has not been conducted yet.Purpose of the study. To analyze the clinical signs among patients with lumbar facet syndrome based on the effectiveness of facet joint block.Material and methods. The various pain patterns in 56 patients with lumbar pain were analyzed. Pain was assessed by using a visual analogue scale (VAS). We analyzed patterns of the irradiation of pain and the dynamics of pain at different patient’s positions. All patients underwent facet joint block at the level of pain. According to the regression of pain patients were divided into groups. The pain in paients of group I was decreased more than 50%, in group II - to 25-50%, in patients of group III - less than 25%. Patients of different groups were compared with each other.Results. Among patients of group I (true facet syndrome), the following symptoms were more common: increasing pain when leaning forward and backward, irradiation of pain along the lateral surface of the thigh. Signs that were less common among patients of group I compared with patients of other groups were following: increasing pain in a sitting position, irradiation of pain along the back of the thigh and groin.Conclusion The following clinical signs are more typical for a true lumbar facet syndrome: a decreasing pain in a sitting position, irradiation of pain along the lateral surface of the thigh to the knee, increasing pain when leaning forward and backward.