How Arthritis Affects Joints, Muscles and Bones

Spinal arthritis is an inflammatory disease that causes stiffness and low back pain. The stiffness is usually worse in the morning, and tends to ease with activity, then worsens toward the peak of the day. Presumably, this can be as a result of fluid that has accumulated within the joint due to to inactivity during the night. Many varieties of arthritis and connected conditions that have an effect on the joints, muscles and/or bones will cause issues like pain, stiffness and swelling within the back. Although, any a part of the posterior are often affected, the lower back is one of the most typical sites of the inflammatory disease.

• Gout.

Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when an excessive amount uric acid builds up. Uric acid is a bodily waste product circulating in the bloodstream, which is often is deposited as needle-like monosodium urate crystals in tissues of the body.  For most patients the first symptom of gout triggers excruciating pain and swelling in the big toe(s). The symptoms of Gout often developer following a trauma, such as an illness or injury. Flareups may occur off and on in other joints, including the foot and knee. In rare cases gout can affect the spine, causing chronic pain, numbness and tingling.

• Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic disease that primarily affects the spine, notably the sacroiliac joints close to the pelvis, and also the hip joints. Ankylosing is a term which means stiff or rigid and redness. Spondylitis means inflammation of the spine. Enthesitis (inflammation of the place wherever ligaments and muscles attach to bones) accounts for a lot of of the pain and stiffness of the autoimmune disorder. This inflammation eventually will cause bony fusion of the joints (where the fibrous ligaments change to bone, and also the joint grows together). Other joints can even develop inflammation  with lower limb joints.

• Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is an arthritis related condition affecting 10 million people in the US.  It is a syndrome of chronic, widespread muscle pain and fatigue, which can be debilitating. The lower back, Mid back, and upper back are common sites of fibromyalgia pain. Although, the symptoms can be felt anywhere in the body.

• Osteoarthritis.

The most common style of the inflammatory disease Osteoarthritis  (the degenerative joint disease) is a chronic condition characterised by the breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wherever they meet to from joints. Within the spine, this breakdown happens within the cartilage  of the facet joints of the vertebrae. As a result, the movement of the bones will cause irritation and pain. This movement contributes to the formation of bony outgrowths referred to as bone spurs. These spurs will aggravate nerves while inflicting pain. New bone formation may result in narrowing of the vertebral canal, referred to as spinal pathology. Exercise is recommended for keeping muscles stretched and flexible.

• Reactive arthritis.

Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis that is chronic. The disease often occurs following an infection of the genital or urinary system. Symptoms of reactive arthritis include inflammation of the joints, eyes and structures within the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tracts.

• Psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that is works side by side with the skin disease psoriasis. The skin disease often precedes the arthritis, although a small percentage of patients may have the joint disease develop before the skin disease. Roughly 20% of people with psoriatic arthritis  involves the spine. In some rare cases, the overgrowth of bone can cause two or more vertebrae to grow together. Mayo Clinic describes the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis further in this article.

• Rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease of the joints that happens once the body’s immune system – that usually protects us from infection – erroneously attacks the membrane, that lines the joints. Although, the autoimmune disorder most typically affects the hips, knees, hands, wrists, feet, elbows and ankles.  Rheumatoid arthritis may also have an effect on the facet joints within the spine, inflicting pain and, in severe cases, destruction of the joints. This could enable the upper vertebrae to slip forward above the lower bone, a condition known as spondylolisthesis. The slipped bone might place pressure on the spinal cord irritating the nerve roots. Patients may experience muscle stiffness, swelling and pain when diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Juvenile Spondylarthropathy.

Also known as juvenile-onset spondyloarthritis (spinal arthritis), this term is often used to explain the disease that often begins before age sixteen. This disease  will cause pain and inflammation within the joints of the pelvis, hips, ankles and knees. As it progresses it will additionally have an effect on different body organs like the eyes, skin and bowels.

• Enteropathic arthritis.

Enteropathic arthritis is a form of arthritis that occurs in about 5% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This also includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Enteropathic arthritis commonly affects the sacroiliac joints, causing long lasting chronic lower back pain.

• Infectious arthritis.

Infectious arthritis is caused by an infection within a joint. It can occur in the facet joints of spine. Infectious arthritis is often caused by bacteria that spreads through the bloodstream into the joints. Sometimes Infectious arthritis it is caused by viruses or fungi.

• Polymyalgia rheumatica. 

Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that causes whole-body chronic muscle pain and stiffness, polymyalgia rheumatica normally affects the neck, shoulders, upper arms, lower back, thighs and hips. The disease often comes on suddenly and resolves on its own in 1 or 2 years.

• Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a condition which the bones loose a significant amount of mass causing them to become brittle with the risk of breaking with slight trauma incidents. The condition, which may occur with aging, inactivity, a low-calcium diet or use of steroid hormone medications, ordinarily affects the spine. Once this occurs within the spine, the inner spongy bone and a lot of the solid outer portion of the vertebrae become porous. The weakened vertebrae has a greater potential to break. In some cases, the resulting back pain is severe enough to cause a great amount of pain. In some cases, the pain can resolves on its own is a few  weeks, but others may experience long term chronic pain.

Typical Symptoms of Spinal Osteoarthritis

The full range of symptoms that typically occur with spinal arthritis includes some combination of the following:

• • Back and neck stiffness.
  • Pain levels that improve with activity.
  • Pain and stiffness tend to get worse while resting.
  • Pain that disrupts sleep, eventually requiring the use of a sleep medication such as Traz.
  • Localized tenderness in the joints.
  • Constant or intermittent pain in a joint.
  • A decrease in flexibility.
  • A crunching sound of bone rubbing on bone when the joint is moved.
  • Pinching, tingling, or numbness.