Arthritis of the Spine

Arthritis in the spine overview

Arthritis of the spine is just like arthritis that can be seen in other parts of the body, with this type because of where it is located it can have a huge impact on your life as it can limit your ability to walk, stand, bend and twist. This type of arthritis can also be known as Osteoarthritis and is often seen with Degenerative Disc Disease; many times people think that the two are linked or the same condition with different names. This is not correct and they are in fact two separate back problems that are often seen in those who are over the age of 50.

Osteoarthritis is caused when the cartilage that surrounds your joints begins to wear out. When there is no more cartilage left your bones begin to rub together. This could cause the bones to form bone spurs, even if bone spurs don’t form you would still have pain, swelling, and loss of motion in that joint as it becomes inflamed and painful to move normally. The longer this is allowed to progress the stiffer and more inflexible your spine would become.

When you have Degenerative Disc Disease what is happening is the discs in your spine are beginning to wear out and become weaker and more brittle. This can decrease your mobility and cause back pain.

Causes of Arthritis

• Age; those who are over the age of 50 are at an increased risk of developing this condition as the body starts to wear down due to age

• Genetics; if there is a history of arthritis in your family you are at an increased risk of developing this condition yourself

• Illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, or liver disease can lead to osteoarthritis

• Gender; unfortunately this condition is twice as likely to affect women

• Obesity; the heavier you are the more stress you place on the joints in your spine, once your joints can no longer handle the load it could lead to osteoarthritis

• Overuse; this could be related to your work or your sports activities

• Injury or trauma to the bones (like fractures) from a fall or accident can start the development of osteoarthritis in your spiner
Symptoms of Arthritis

Other the then the normal symptoms of back pain, stiffness and loss of mobility you may also see the following symptoms,

• While stiffness is normally seen with arthritis you will notice a pattern in when you have this stiffness. It will be more apparent in the morning right after you get out of bed, after long periods of rest or after an activity

• You may also notice pain and numbness in your neck, back, head, and shoulders

• As your back becomes less flexible and you lose your mobility you will notice it is harder for you to walk, bend down, or twist your back

• You could start to notice weakness and numbness in your legs and arms as the nerves in your back become compressed

• You may hear or feel a crunching sound as cartilage wears down and your bones rub together

• Your spine may start to deform as it weakens