Spinal Arthritis Treatment in Huntsville & Scottsboro, AL
What is Spinal Arthritis?
Spinal arthritis or osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis that affects the back. It can occur anywhere along the spine where the cartilage that pads the ends of the bones wears down in the facet joints between and behind the spinal vertebrae.
At Tennessee Valley Pain Consultants, our board-certified pain management specialists specialize in diagnosing and treating joint degeneration and facet joint pain throughout the spine. Using advanced, non-surgical interventional therapies, we help patients reduce inflammation, restore mobility, and prevent progressive nerve compression.
What Causes Spinal Arthritis?
If you have spinal arthritis, the bones rub together painfully because of the lack of cartilage padding between your joints. There may be a genetic component, as everyone’s anatomy is different but may be similar in families. Everyone has space for nerves, but some people have more space than others. Spinal arthritis occurs as we age, and can occur due to a number of other factors.
It may be related to:
- Age
- Normal wear and tear
- Joint stress
- Back injury
- Being overweight
- Autoimmune disorders
- Infection
- Family history
What are the Symptoms of Spinal Arthritis?
If you have spinal arthritis, it usually affects the low back. It can also affect the neck or you may experience weakness down the leg. When you move with spinal arthritis, the bones rub together painfully. Bony growths (called spurs) can sometimes form in the joints that press on nerves, causing more pain.
Other symptoms include:
- A sensation of pinching, tingling, or numbness in a nerve or the spinal cord
- Pain is worse in the morning
- Pain will become more tolerable throughout the course of the day with movement
- Pain or stiffness in the evening
- Changes in joints particularly if the weather changes
- Tenderness when the joint is pressed
- Aching pain
- Loss of flexibility
- A crunching feeling of bone rubbing on bone (called crepitus), particularly notable in the neck
What Can Happen if Left Untreated?
Osteoarthritis of the spine is a degenerative disease. If it is left untreated, back and neck pain may get worse over time. Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but treatment can slow down its progression, help control pain, and restore some or all of normal function.
Degeneration can start to occur in the lower back around age 20. The pain can worsen over time, especially as the arthritis spreads to the larger joints of the spine. Spinal arthritis can spread to other parts of the spine, so it is smart to seek medical help.
How Do I Know if I Have Spinal Arthritis?
The best way to know if you have spinal arthritis is to visit with your physician at Tennessee Valley Pain Consultants.
Your doctor will:
- Talk with you about your medical history
- Discuss any lifestyle factors
- Evaluate your pain
- Perform a physical examination
- Review your symptoms
- Perform other tests or exams as needed (such as X-rays or MRI imaging)
How is Spinal Arthritis Treated?
If you have spinal arthritis, there are a number of options to get you the relief you need. Most treatment plans include exercise, medications, and in some cases injections or surgery.
Treatment for spinal arthritis may include:
- Home exercise treatments
- Over-the-counter pain medications
- Prescription medications
- Lifestyle adjustments
- Nerve stimulation to relieve symptoms
- Injections (such as facet joint or epidural steroid injections)
- Surgery
Surgical procedures depend on the location, type of problems you’re experiencing, the extent of pain, the location of nerve pressure, and many other factors.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Don’t let spinal arthritis control your life or limit your daily activities. Contact the expert team at Tennessee Valley Pain Consultants today at (256) 265-7246 (Huntsville) or (256) 380-3778 (Scottsboro) to schedule your evaluation at our Huntsville or Scottsboro office.