What is spondylitis arthritis?

Answer 1

Arthritis in the spine is called Ankylosing Spondylitis..... It is a chronic inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the joints of the spine (vertebrae). Inflammation, swelling and irritation cause Back pain and stiffness. Over time, people living with AS tend to stoop forward. This leads to a rounding of the back. In severe cases, vertebrae may fuse together causing the spine to stiffen. This results in a major loss of movement.

Inflammation of the tendons and ligaments that connect and support the vertebrae can cause pain and tenderness in the ribs, shoulder blades, hips, thighs, shins, heels, as well as along the bony points of the spinal column. However the main problem with AS involves the lower back joints where the spine joins the pelvis (known as the sacroiliac or SI joints).

AS may affect different people in different ways. Some people have only temporary episodes of back pain. Others have more chronic severe back pain that may lead to stiffness of the spine over time.

Between 150,000 and 300,000 Canadians (as many as 1 in 100) have AS. It is three times more common in men than in women. Statistics show that it takes a longer time for the disease to be diagnosed in women.

Answer 2

To put it simply, the spine is made up of bones (vertebrae), one stacked upon the other between each of which there is a layer of cartilage. Cartilage is a very strong material that is lubricated by synovial fluid. This set up keeps the back bone supple and pain free in many places between these vertebrae nerves branch out to the various parts of the body. If for one reason or another the cartilage becomes damaged or worn out. These bones can start to touch, causing pain and or interference with the nerves that pass between them. When these bones touch and start to wear on each other there is the added problem of new bone growing spurs (osteophites) which make the condition even worse. To sum up spinal arthritis usually starts with cartilage damage and develops from there.

Answer 3

Yes it can. I had c-section to deliver both my children...one in 1969 and one in 1971. I was given an epidural for both c-section deliveries. Now I am 62 years old and I have beem diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and arthritis in my lower spine...where I received the epidural. I am in terrible pain in my lower back and now the disc has closed up on the sciatic nerve that runs from my back down to my feet. The pain is so severe that when it hits it runs out of my back across my left hip and down the back of my leg all the way to my foot....then the foot goes numb. I am talking real pain. I can not sleep a full night...the pain hits during the day ..before a storm and whenever it feels like it. I can't sit down too long or stand up too long and can't lay on my left hip at all without pain. I am taking 800 mg of ibuprofen, taking therapy at the chiropractic, on a weight lose program and stretching 30 to 45 mins each morning before I can get out of the bed. This helps some, but the next step is going to be surgery if the pain continues. If I had known that the epidural would cause me this much pain years later....I would have demanded that I be given some other form of sedative for the c-section surgeries. I do not ever want another one. good luck if you need to get an epidural ...quick fix for surgery....but long time pain and problems afterwards.

M. Parham

Answer 4

The most common kind of arthritis to affect the spine occurs due to overuse, accidents and wear-and-tear of living, and therefore increases as we get older; this is degenerative osteoarthritis. Another name for degenerative arthritis is spondylosis.

Osteoarthritis an occur any in the spine, like the neck when it is called cervical osteoarthritis or cervical spondylosis. But it is by far most common in the low back when it is called lumbar osteoarthritis or lumbar spondylosis.

• Elderly people
• Obese people
• Workers who perform repetitious heavy lifting and twisting
• Athletes who engage in heavy contact sports (football) or sports in which heavy impact is common (gymnastics and ice skating), especially when such activity is started early in life
• Those who have previous injuries (falls or auto accidents) to the spine, such as neck or low back

Answer 5

It indicatted that the joints are being damaged progresively especialy in the backbone. Itdoes not say wetheritis osteoor inflamatory arthritis like RA although progresive hints at inflamatory which ids often treated with steroids os disese modifying drugs that control inflamation.

Answer 6

Arthritis is a word that is used to refer to more than 100 different diseases and conditions that can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, and permanent joint damage. There are several types of arthritis that can affect your spine. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. Each joint in your body, including the joints of your spine, are cushioned by cartilage, a flexible type of connective tissue. OA occurs when this cartilage begins to break down over time or with heavy use, causing the bones to rub directly against each other. OA of the spine can occur when the cartilage between the joints and discs in the neck and lower back begins to break down. OA can also sometimes produce spurs that put pressure on the nerves leaving the spinal column. Treatment of spinal OA is geared towards relieving the symptoms of pain and may also include losing weight if needed as well as exercise to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Alternatively, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is another form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, hip joints, and sacroiliac joints (SI joints, where the spine attaches to the pelvis). AS is a chronic autoimmune disease, which means that it is the result of a malfunctioning immune system. With AS, pain and stiffness in the spine generally improves with activity or exercise. However, in advanced cases, AS can eventually cause fusion of the spine. In addition to weight loss and exercise, certain medications may be able to provide pain relief and slow the progression of the disease.

Answer 7

Spondylitis arthritis is when a person has inflammation of the vertebra in the back. Depending on severity, it can cause the vertebrae to fuse together.