Can rheumatoid arthritis affect your spine
Most patients with cervical spine involvement (see the image below) have had the disease for more.When rheumatoid arthritis loosens ligaments, erodes bone or causes thickened tissue around the atlantoaxial joint, it can compress the spinal cord and brain stem, which can lead to paralysis or even death if the neck is moved in certain positions.When rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints in the spine, it is far more common for the neck (cervical spine) to be affected than for the lower back.Fortunately, there are many treatments to avoid these outcomes.When ra affects the back, symptoms can range from mild to severe enough to require spine surgery to relieve pressure caused by the swelling and inflammation of joints that's characteristic of this type of arthritis.
Similar to rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory disease that impacts the joints, ligaments, and tendons of the spine.The stiffness is worst upon waking up in the morning, tends to ease with activity, then worsens toward the end of the day.Rgstudio / getty images frequent symptomsOccasionally, lung problems surface before the joint inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis.When ra affects the cervical spine, it can result in pain, deformity, and a range of neurological symptoms.
Damage to supporting tissues can cause vertebrae to slip in a process called spondolisthesis.Rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation and pain in the joints, including the spine and hips.When rheumatoid arthritis (ra) affects your spine, it can cause neck pain, back pain, and radiculopathy (pain that radiates to the legs or arms) due to compression of your nerve roots or nerves within the spinal cord.Rheumatoid arthritis can affect your joints, causing pain and inflammation.It can be triggered by other previous diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or an infection.
One myrateam member described that pain in their tailbone (coccyx), the lowest part of the lumbar spine, makes it hard to sit or lie down a lot of the time..However, ra can also cause symptoms that affect the gastrointestinal (gi) system, such as nausea,.Spinal arthritis is a common condition that affects millions of adults.When most people think of rheumatoid arthritis (ra), they imagine joint pain affecting the wrists and knees.
