Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which the body's joints are destroyed. The illness can affect every joint in the body, but the tiny joints in the hands and feet are the most usually affected. When rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints of the spine, the neck (cervical spine) is significantly more commonly afflicted than the lower back.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms in the Spine
Neck discomfort, back pain that extends into the legs or arms are all symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis of the spine. Compression of the spinal cord and/or the spinal nerve roots can occur in advanced cases of joint degeneration in the spine.
Rheumatoid arthritis in the spine has symptoms that are similar to osteoarthritis in the spine (also called degenerative arthritis). The list of symptoms is extensive, and it can include any or all of the following:
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Rheumatoid arthritis most usually affects the joints associated with the upper cervical vertebrae, therefore pain is the most prevalent symptom, particularly discomfort around the base of the skull.
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Burning can be defined as swelling and warmth in one or more joints.
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A feeling of local tenderness when the joint of the affected area of the spine is pressed
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Loss of flexibility of the joint(s) in the affected area of the spine
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A crunching feeling when the joint is moved (called crepitus), particularly notable in the neck (although this crunching also happens in normal joints)
See Neck Cracking and Grinding: What Does It Mean? -
Headaches, related to cervical rheumatoid arthritis
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Pain that radiates down one or both arms, indicating that a cervical spinal nerve root is affected
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Pain that radiates down one or both legs, indicating that a lumbar nerve root is affected
See Lumbar Radiculopathy -
A change in the ability to walk can signal increasing pressure on the spinal cord.
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Sensations of tingling and/or weakness in the arms or legs, or a loss of coordination or ability to walk, which may be an indication that the spinal cord is affected.
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Any type of difficulty with bowel or bladder control, such as incontinence or inability to urinate, or lack of ability to control the bowels
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
The primary aims of rheumatoid arthritis therapy in the spine are to:
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Reduce or remove the discomfort.
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Maintaining the ability to perform in day-to-day situations
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Reduce or reduce the disease's development.
The great majority of patients will have non-surgical treatment, which will comprise one or more of the following: physical therapy and exercise, pharmaceuticals, food and nutrition, and maybe alternative or complementary therapies. Rheumatoid arthritis surgery in the spine is uncommon.