Types of Arthritis Causing Lower Vertebrae Deterioration
There are over 100 types of arthritis, and all of them can affect your body anywhere, including the spine. The cartilage in your joints wears down, or deteriorates, and the bones begin to rub together causing joint pain, as well as swelling. Certain types of arthritis tend to affect your spine more than others.
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Osteoarthritis
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Osteoarthritis primarily appears in your knees, hips, hands and spine. Specifically, it can affect your neck and lower back, causing pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis is often found in conjunction with degenerative disc disease, which is a progressive deterioration of the discs between your vertebrae.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
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Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative form of arthritis that affects your spine, typically in your neck (cervical area), chest and lumbar, or lower spine. The facet joints deteriorate and cartilage wears down. In addition, your body may attempt to correct the situation by creating bone spurs, which can result in compression of the nerves.
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Psoriatic Arthritis
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Psoriatic arthritis, while affecting many other joints as well as your heart, lungs and eyes, can affect your sacroiliac joints. The sacrum is a large bone, just below the lumbar spine, made up of five vertebrae that are connected and do not move. The sacroiliac joints are located where the sacrum connects to the pelvic bones. Bone erosion in these joints can be seen in x-rays with psoriatic arthritis.
Reactive Arthritis
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Reactive arthritis involves inflammation of the eyes, joints, and gastrointestinal, genital or urinary systems. It frequently affects the spine, including the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacroiliac joints. Like psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, it involves the deterioration of cartilage between the vertebrae.
Treatment
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While there is no cure for any of these arthritis conditions, there are treatments for the various types to help with pain relief. In addition, there are some medications that are intended to slow the progression of the disease. In some cases, it may be necessary to take a combination of medications.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Microsoft Clip Art
