If you suspect you may suffer from spinal arthritis, it's important to receive a comprehensive diagnosis from a primary care physician or spine specialist as soon as possible. The longer you wait to begin treatment for osteoarthritis of the spine, the more difficult it will be to manage associated symptoms like debilitating pain, stiffness, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness.
Signs of Spinal Arthritis
Another reason to seek a professional spinal arthritis diagnosis is that symptoms associated with the condition are similar to those produced by other degenerative spine conditions, such as a herniated disc. However, there are a few tell-tale signs of osteoarthritis, including:
Restricted range of motion in the neck or back
Intermittent pain at or near the site of joint deterioration
Stiffness within the spine, especially after sleeping or strenuous activity
Tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the extremities
A grinding noise produced by bone rubbing against bone
The cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) regions are the most common sites for the development of osteoarthritis in the spine. At first, symptoms might become worse with activity and then subside after resting. However, as the condition worsens, you might notice that arthritis pain becomes constant and may even cause you to wake up through the night.
Diagnostic Tools and Methods
If this is your first visit to a particular doctor, you will most likely be asked to fill out a medical history form, which includes questions about your past health and that of your immediate family members. This is vital information for a doctor making a spinal arthritis diagnosis, because genetics are believed to play a big role in its development.
In addition to background information, your doctor might use the following diagnostic methods and tools to draw a conclusion and pinpoint the area or areas affected by arthritis:
Physical exam
Neurological exam
Imaging tests such as an X-ray, MRI scan, or CT scan
Selective nerve root block (SNRB) injections
Diagnostic dye injections
If you have experienced neck or back pain and stiffness for two weeks or longer, you should make an appointment with your primary care physician for a full evaluation of your symptoms. This is important for several reasons; first, a correct diagnosis will help you receive an appropriate treatment plan, and second, it will help rule out other, more life-threatening, conditions.
In Conclusion
Most of the time, neck and back pain originates in the muscles and ligaments and will resolve itself in a few days. However, sore neck also could be a sign of a life-threatening condition like meningitis, which is a bacterial or viral infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord - requiring immediate treatment. Similarly, intense lower back pain accompanied by urinary or bowel incontinence and numbness in the "saddle" area of the lower body could be a sign of cauda equina syndrome. Without emergency surgery, cauda equina syndrome can lead to permanent paralysis and incontinence.
For this reason, it is vital to go to the doctor and obtain a diagnosis for back or neck pain that persists more than a few days, or for pain that is accompanied by fever, nausea, a severe headache, incontinence, or trouble walking.
