A pain in the joint

 

Facet joints are also called zygapophysial joints and are lined by synovial tissue. They exist in the back of spinal canal and hook each of the two vertebral body up to the other. These can become inflamed by arthritis, and can become infected.  When they become degenerative they can get arthritic and they can compress the nerves as they exit.  They can get bony spurs or develop cysts that compress the spinal canal. Facet disease is very important the cause of back pain as we age.