Overview of Symptoms
- Pain located in one specific spot in the low back
- Pain on either the left OR right side of the spine (or band-like pain across both sides)
- Sharp, stabbing, pinching, or deep aching pain that stays local
- Pain worsens when bending backward, twisting, standing up, or getting out of a chair
- Muscle tightness or “guarding” around the painful area
- Loss of range of motion (difficulty bending to put on shoes, pick up objects, etc.)
- Pain that feels like “something is stuck” or “bones grinding together”
- In severe cases, sudden pain that can drop someone to their knees
- Pain that typically does not shoot down the leg (this distinguishes it from nerve pain)
- Tenderness or swelling around the irritated joint area
How Chiropractic Can Help
- Identifies the specific facet joint(s) that are being compressed
- Corrects the spinal misalignment (rotation, tilt, or translation) that is causing the grinding
- Restores proper facet joint spacing and reduces bone-on-bone contact
- Relieves muscular guarding and spasms that limit movement
- Helps restore normal lumbar biomechanics to prevent recurrence
- Reduces inflammation around irritated joints and ligaments
- Improves symmetry and balance within the lumbar spine
- Prevents long-term degeneration by reducing abnormal stress on the facet joints
Recommended Therapies for Localized Low Back Pain
Chiropractic Adjustments
- Restore proper alignment of the lumbar vertebrae
- Reduce facet compression and improve joint mobility
- Help rebalance the spine to eliminate uneven loading
Laser Therapy (Erchonia Class II & Class IV Summus)
- Reduces inflammation inside irritated facet joint capsules
- Promotes cellular repair in damaged soft tissues
- Helps calm sharp, localized pain
Shockwave Therapy
- Breaks up scar tissue in tight spinal stabilizer muscles
- Improves blood flow and reduces chronic muscular guarding
- Excellent for chronic facet irritation and low-back tightness
Spinal Decompression
- Helpful when mild disc height loss contributes to facet overload
- Improves disc hydration, allowing more space between vertebrae
- Reduces mechanical stress on the irritated facet joints
PEMF Pelvic-Floor Stabilization Therapy
- Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles that anchor the lumbar spine
- Reduces compensatory load that forces facet joints to grind
- Helps restore stability and long-term spinal support
A Special Note for Patients With Prior Spinal Surgery
At Doyle Chiropractic, we take great pride in helping patients who have undergone previous spinal surgeries — including spinal fusion, laminectomy, discectomy, microdiscectomy, and more. Many people have been told they “can’t see a chiropractor” after surgery, but that simply isn’t true. We help post-surgical patients every single day.
We always begin with a thorough exam and full spinal X-rays to ensure every treatment is performed safely and precisely. While we may not use the same techniques you’ve seen online or experienced before surgery, there is alwaysa safe way to help you find relief. Whether through gentle chiropractic adjustments, laser therapy, shockwave therapy, PEMF stabilization, or spinal decompression (when appropriate), we have multiple options to help reduce pain and improve mobility safely and effectively.
If you’ve had surgery and still suffer from pain, you are absolutely in the right place — and we are extremely experienced in helping people just like you.
NERDS ONLY — The Deep Explanation Behind Localized Low Back Pain (Facet Syndrome)
Localized low-back pain most often comes from a condition called facet syndrome — a problem rooted in the small joints on the backside of each vertebra. Each spinal bone has two bony ramps on top (superior articular facets) and two bony ramps on the bottom (inferior articular facets). These ramps lock together like puzzle pieces, guiding movement and stabilizing the spine.
When the spine is aligned properly, these facet joints glide smoothly.
But when the vertebra rotates left or right, tilts downward on one side, or shifts forward or backward, the facet joints become compressed. Instead of gliding, they begin grinding.
Every time you move — bend, twist, stand, walk — the irritated facets rub against each other. Over time, this grinding wears down the joint surfaces, irritates the joint capsule, and triggers inflammation. This is why localized low-back pain often feels sharp, pinchy, or “stuck.”
When the irritation becomes severe, the muscles surrounding the vertebrae tighten defensively. This “muscle guarding” is your body’s attempt to splint the area and prevent more grinding. But this also means your range of motion becomes very limited. Suddenly it becomes difficult to bend forward to tie shoes, pick up objects, or even roll out of bed without pain.
Facet syndrome pain typically stays localized — either on the left side of the spine, the right side, or across both sides like a belt. It rarely shoots down the leg unless the swelling becomes so significant that it presses into nearby nerves. When patients feel a sudden sharp pain that drops them to their knees, this is often an acute facet lock or severe facet inflammation.
Spinal misalignments such as subluxation, mild scoliosis, and pelvic imbalance all increase the shear forces on these joints. Degenerative changes can further narrow the spacing between the facets, accelerating the grinding effect.
This is why full spinal X-rays are essential. They show:
- whether the vertebra is rotated
- if the spine is leaning or tilted
- if the disc height is reduced
- if arthritis or calcification is narrowing the facet spacing
- whether the pelvis is level
By understanding the exact mechanical cause of the compression, chiropractic adjustments can be applied in the proper direction to restore space, reduce grinding, and allow the inflamed joint to heal.
Facet syndrome is painful — but extremely treatable.
Correcting the alignment reduces the mechanical stress, the inflammation subsides, the muscles relax, and mobility returns.
If you’ve made it this far, you are absolutely one of our favorite “nerds,” and we mean that sincerely. The more you understand why your back hurts, the better your long-term results will be.
Chiropractic Examinations and Evaluations
During your initial visit, we aim to improve your condition immediately. You will be placed on appropriate therapy after a thorough consultation, examination, and imaging. The doctor will discuss adjustment options to determine the best chiropractic technique for your condition. Most conditions develop over time so that multiple treatments may be needed. Over 92% of our patients are pleased with their care and avoid surgery. You will receive home treatment instructions to alleviate pain until your next visit. We verify health insurance benefits, though some companies may require additional time.