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What is Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints. A joint is easiest described as the meeting of two different bones in an area of the body and its function is to enable movement of body parts connected by its bones. Often, joint pain accompanies arthritis.
The number of different types of arthritis is well over a hundred and the causes of the type of arthritis are dependent on what form of arthritis you suffer from. In most cases, arthritis is a chronic illness and studies show that arthritis is one of the most common chronic illnesses due to the fact that there is no cure for arthritis.
Causes of Arthritis
The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis you suffer from. Most common include heredity; infection; abnormal metabolism; and injury.
Spinal Arthritis
Symptoms of arthritis in back may include:
- Inflammation
- Stiffness
- Pain in the joints
- Intermittent or recurring back pain
- Pain in the lower back radiating to the thighs or pelvic area
- Pain or tenderness in the neck and/or shoulders
- Stiffness in the spine when getting out of bed
- A feeling of bone grinding on bone
- Difficulty walking or bending
- Deformity of the spine
To diagnose back arthritis, your doctor will discuss your medical history as well as when you started experiencing any of the above symptoms, the feeling, frequency of symptoms and what has worked to provide relief from these symptoms.
You may need to perform some exercises for your doctor to determine if any of these cause you pain or discomfort as well as allowing the doctor to determine whether you are experiencing difficulty with your range of motion.
Your doctor will need to determine whether you are indeed suffering from spinal arthritis or another condition or ailment of the spine.
Cervical Arthritis
Another common form of arthritis is arthritis in the neck. Neck arthritis affects the upper spine. The causes of arthritis in neck may be from improper posture, injury and age. Most middle aged people tend to demonstrate symptoms of cervical arthritis, although these symptoms may have started developing years ago.
Symptoms of cervical arthritis commonly include:
- Stiffness in the neck that progressively worsens
- Pain that radiates to the base of the skull
- Pain that radiates to the shoulder and to the arm
- Headaches
- Loss of balance
- Muscle weakness in the neck, shoulders, arms and hands
As stated above, while there is no cure for arthritis, through pain management and a treatment program designed specifically to fit you and your lifestyle, there can be relief from your symptoms that allow you to function and lead an active life.