REVISTA DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DEL DOLOR

Cervical pain is experienced by 66% of adults during their lifetime and by 54% in the previous 6 months. Only 5% will experience intense chronic pain with functional disability. Eighty percent of cervical pain is produced by skeletal or muscular lesions as a result of disc and facet degeneration. External causative agents include trauma, overweight, occupational demands, stress, etc. Diagnosis of cervical pain is mainly based on physical examination and clinical fi ndings. In cervical pain radiating to the neck, scapulohumeral girdle and upper right arm without a radicular pattern and positive examination of the facet joints, diagnostic-therapeutic facet joint blocks are indicated. The present article describes the anatomy of the cervical region. Knowledge of this region is essential to guarantee good results and to minimize risks. The indications and practical features of the technique are also discussed.