What to Do for Severe Arthritis Pain in the Back
While the term arthritis literally means joint inflammation, over the years the public health definition has expanded to include an almost endless variety of chronically painful conditions affecting joints and connective tissue. When the spine becomes involved, it's time to sit up (slowly) and pay attention.
Other People Are Reading
-
Features
-
Symptoms of back arthritis can arrive incrementally or all at once but are defined by pain and stiffness around the spine. Limited range of motion and bone-on-bone contact may also be present.
Causes
-
Though the medical profession has yet to pin down a specific cause for the disease, arthritis in the back can be aggravated by injury, overuse or obesity.
-
Diagnosis
-
Your doctor can use a variety of methods to diagnose the source of your back pain. Examination, blood tests, x-rays and MRI are a few of the more common methods to establish whether or not the problem is arthritis.
Treatment
-
Since there is no magic cure for arthritis, your doctor will help you develop an overall plan that will likely include a combination of rest, specific exercises, medications and physical therapy.
Bottom Line
-
Don't get so caught up in the diagnosis that you forget there are millions of arthritis sufferers living happy, productive lives. Educate yourself about the disease and stay optimistic.
-
