Facet joint disease

I have bad facets in my entire neck. When I was 40 I tried nerve ablations at C34, C45, C56. Nerves grew back and had to get fusion.
My cervical vertigo was from C23, just had an ablation. Next is ablation C67 to get rid of body cramps and entire tight body, at 65 hopefully it won't grow back

Is facet joint disease same as arthritis? And what is the difference between cervical arthritis and osteoarthritis? My rheumatologist said arthritis is diagnosed via hands and feet thus i do not have it but other doctors mentioned facet joint disease and arthritis on the neck.. And how is regular arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed differently? My acupuncturist said rheumatoid arthritis but western says no.

arthritis is simply inflammation in the joint.
Cervical arthritis is inflammation in the joints at the side of any or all cervical or neck vertebra.
Osteoathritis is when the cartilage in a joint becomes damaged with resulting bone changes--disintegration or bone spurs.
Rheumatoid arthritis is swelling that results from autoimmune disease where a person's body attacks the cartilage in joints. Without treatment RA results in the disintegration of cartilage and then bone in the joints. RA is suspected with bilateral pain in hands and/or feet. Diagnostic testing includes serum blood draws for rheumatoid factor and xrays of the hands and/or feet. Disintegration from RA can be halted by methotrexate and monoclonal antibodies like Humira.
I have cervical osteoarthritis. In my neck bone changes at C5-6-- osteophytes (sharp little bone spurs).
I get tested for RA because there is a strong genetic component and my sister, an uncle and a cousin have RA. My sister was treated early and has no damage to her joints.

Did cervical vertigo resolve after ablation?
I get these aches/knots from blade to around neck and muscle cramping at the occipital area which disables me time to time and don’t know what to do about it…

Thanks for all of this info Gently. I truly hope you do not have and do not get RA - although the treatment for it has greatly improved over the years.

I'm curious, does your cervical arthritis cause pain from pinched nerves in the spine? If so, where do you feel the pain and/or numbness? I have severe osteoarthritis in my lumbar spine. That presses on the sciatic nerve and I then feel pain in the back of my legs, hamstrings and calves. I had laminotomies at S1, L5, and L4 in 2013 and this resolved that pain.

I keep my core muscles strong to protect my lumbar spine and avoid the need for fusion.

Thanks! Joe

heyjoe415, thank you for your kind wishes.
I have an osteophyte complex at the facet joint. Sometimes get pain across the upper shoulder and sometimes low on the arm just on the left, though.
Laminotomy is a great way to go, seldom offered. And really smart to strengthen your core to protect the low back.
Do you have core exercises to recommend,

Which mayo did your laminectomies?

Hi Gently,

Here is a good reference guide on the core from Mayo:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/core-strength/art-20546851
As always, check with your Dr to make sure there are exercises you should not do. I hope this helps. I just started working on my core a few years ago. I'm 69 now and feel better than I ever have.

All the best! Joe

I had my surgery done by Muir Orthopedics in Walnut Creek, CA.

I think it is the least invasive of the different procedures that can be done on the lower back (laminectomies, discectomies, fusion). A laminotomy removes part of the back of a vertebra, making room for the nerves that traverse the spinal canal.

Again, the first surgeon I saw would only do fusion, something I wanted to avoid. The second surgeon I saw said the laminotomy may not work, and if that happened, then fusion would be necessary. That was over 10 years ago and I haven't needed fusion. So it's just proof that a second opinion is always a good idea.

I have a very strong core and do something every day to keep it that way.

Thank you!
You are lucky to have a great option for medical care.
Where I live, there’s very few specialists & I’ve heard ppl have died after a partial knee surgery, had one lady who came out worse than when she went in! They cut her back & then flipped her over & cut her abdomen to work on lumbar vertebrae!
She can’t barely walk now