Neck & Head

Cervical Facet Syndrome

Also called: Neck joint pain

Pain generated by the small paired joints (facets) on the back of the neck vertebrae. A very common driver of neck pain and cervicogenic headache, especially after whiplash or years of forward-head posture. Pain refers in predictable patterns to the head, shoulder, and upper back.

Common signs

One-sided neck pain, worse with looking up or rotating toward the painful side
Referred ache to the base of the skull, shoulder, or between the shoulder blades
Tenderness directly over the joints beside the spine
Stiffness after holding one position

Seek help now if

Neurological symptoms in the arms
Trauma with severe midline pain
Constitutional symptoms (fever, weight loss)

If any of these is sudden or severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room. For the others, get examined before you start self-care.

What to do first

Examination can localize which joint levels are involved by motion testing and palpation
Restore motion early — facet pain feeds on stiffness
Heat and gentle mobility typically outperform rest

The longer road

Chronic facet pain responds well to a program combining joint-specific adjusting, deep neck flexor work, and posture correction
If pain persists despite quality conservative care, diagnostic blocks can confirm the joint as the source

Natural healing options we use

Specific chiropractic adjusting of the involved segments
Manual therapy for the surrounding musculature
Attended e-stim and PEMF
Postural retraining and thoracic mobility work (the neck pays for a stiff mid-back)

About imaging

X-rays can show degenerative facet changes; imaging is otherwise mainly used to exclude other causes since facet pain is diagnosed by examination.

Daily self-care

Chin tucks and upper-back extension breaks during desk work
Avoid prolonged looking-up tasks early on
Sleep position that keeps the neck neutral

Book a visit Call 469-620-6245 All conditions

How we can help

Keep working on it at home

Once you have been examined and cleared to load it, these free home programs cover this part of the body.

Neck Bulletproofing Mid-back Bulletproofing The Body Audit: test your own range

More in Neck & Head

Whiplash Cervical Sprain/Strain Cervical Disc Herniation Cervical Radiculopathy Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease & Spondylosis Cervical Spinal Stenosis Cervicogenic Headache Tension-Type Headache Migraine Occipital Neuralgia TMJ Dysfunction Torticollis Concussion & Post-Traumatic Headache BPPV Cervicogenic Dizziness Stiff Neck / “Crick in the Neck”Text Neck & Loss of the Neck Curve Stinger / Burner

Please read: this page is education, not a diagnosis. A proper examination is how a condition gets confirmed and a plan gets built. See our medical disclaimer.