Is Facet Joint Pain The Same As Non-Specific Low Back Pain?

This is a very reasonable question — and one that even healthcare professionals don’t always answer clearly.

You might have been told:

• you have facet joint pain

• or that your pain is non-specific low back pain

And naturally you wonder:

“Are these actually different things — or just different labels for the same problem?”

The honest answer is: they overlap, but they are not identical. Understanding the difference can help make sense of your diagnosis and avoid unnecessary worry.

What “non-specific low back pain” actually means

The term non-specific low back pain doesn’t describe a structure — it describes uncertainty.

It means:

• no serious pathology has been identified

• no single structure can be confidently blamed

• symptoms don’t fit a dangerous or specific diagnosis

In other words:

“Your back hurts, but there’s nothing alarming or structurally damaged.”

It’s a category, not a cause.

Where facet joint pain fits into this picture

Facet joints are small joints at the back of the spine that:

• guide movement

• control rotation and extension

• share load during everyday activities

Facet joint pain refers to a situation where these joints are mechanically irritated or sensitised.

Crucially:

• this irritation is benign

• it does not involve damage or disease

• it often settles with time and movement

Facet joint pain is therefore one possible contributor to non-specific low back pain — not something separate and sinister.

Why clinicians sometimes use one label and not the other

In practice:

• non-specific low back pain is often used when no single structure stands out

• facet joint pain may be used when the pain pattern fits a mechanical facet presentation

For example:

• pain worse with arching backwards

• pain with twisting or side-bending

• localised ache rather than widespread pain

Even then, the label reflects best clinical reasoning, not absolute certainty.

Why facet joint pain is rarely “confirmed”

This often frustrates patients.

Unlike fractures or infections:

• facet joint pain doesn’t show up on scans - just changes that MAY be associated with pain in some people

• wear-and-tear changes don’t correlate well with pain

• injections and tests are imperfect

So the diagnosis is usually clinical, based on:

• symptom behaviour

• movement patterns

• response to activity

This is why facet joint pain still sits comfortably within the “non-specific” umbrella.

Why the distinction matters less than people think

Many people worry that:

“Facet joint pain sounds more specific — does that mean it’s worse?”

Not at all.

Both labels:

• describe benign mechanical pain

• have good long-term outlooks

• respond to similar management approaches

The prognosis is driven far more by:

• movement confidence

• strength and conditioning

• fear avoidance

• flare-up management

than by which label is used.

Why people feel better when given a “specific” label

There’s an understandable psychological effect here.

Being told:

• “facet joint pain”

often feels more satisfying than:

• “non-specific back pain”

Because it sounds explanatory.

That’s not wrong — but it doesn’t mean the pain has suddenly become more serious or structural.

Why facet joint pain doesn’t mean your spine is damaged

This is a key reassurance.

Facet joint irritation:

• does not mean the joint is worn out

• does not mean arthritis is severe

• does not mean movement is harmful

Like other joints in the body, facet joints can become sensitive without being damaged.

Sensitivity ≠ damage.

Why management is usually the same either way

Whether pain is described as:

• non-specific

• facet-related

• mechanical

The principles of recovery are similar:

• staying active

• gradually restoring movement

• building tolerance

• avoiding unnecessary fear

The label does not change the fundamentals.

When facet joint pain becomes less “non-specific”

Occasionally, facet joints can:

• be a dominant pain driver

• respond clearly to specific movements or treatments

• 
  

In those cases, the label can help guide management — but it still sits firmly within the realm of benign mechanical back pain.

The key message

Facet joint pain and non-specific low back pain are not opposites.

Facet joint pain is:

• one possible explanation

• within the non-specific category

• mechanical and benign

Being told you have facet joint pain does not mean your back problem has suddenly become more serious or more permanent.

It’s a way of describing how your pain behaves — not a diagnosis of damage.