An estimated 50 percent of Americans over the age of 65 have some form of arthritis, or joint inflammation, according to The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of those people suffering from arthritis suffer from spinal arthritis. Spinal osteoarthritis, the most common form of spinal arthritis, develops when the cartilage on spinal joints deteriorates. As the soft, smooth cartilage coating degenerates, the joint will experience more friction. This causes the joint to feel painful and stiff, and this can be debilitating at times.

Understanding the Composition of Facet Joints

The spine is composed of 24 small individual bones called vertebrae, plus several fused vertebrae and the tailbone in the pelvic region. On the posterior (back) side of the individual vertebrae, there are joints that connect bone to bone. The joints are called facet joints, and the bone in the area of the joint is covered in cartilage to allow for smooth movement between the vertebrae. A membrane known as the synovium lines the joints themselves. This membrane secretes a thick, viscous liquid called synovial fluid, which provides lubrication to and reduces friction between the joint bones covered in cartilage. Two connected vertebrae, their pair of facet joints, and an intervertebral disc make up one motion segment. Additionally, each vertebra has a pair of nerves that feed into the facet joint area called medial branch nerves, which provides sensation to the bone. In a healthy spine, the smooth cartilage coating on facet joints allows the vertebrae to move, bend, and twist without friction, and the intervertebral disc provides vertebral spacing and cushioning to ensure proper joint movement. When spinal arthritis sets in, however, the cartilage has worn down, and could potentially cause one exposed facet joint to rub against another one. Raw bone rubbing against bone and the resulting medial branch nerve irritation are frequently the cause of pain, inflammation, tenderness, and stiffness.

Arthritis and Bone Spurs

Spinal abnormalities are often related to one another, and a good example of this is the connection between spinal arthritis and spinal bone spurs. Any bone in the body can develop bone spurs, but they are especially prevalent along the spine. Bone spurs are not solely caused by spinal osteoarthritis, but spinal arthritis is known to prompt the creation of extra bone growths as the body tries to compensate for lost cartilage and excess friction in the spine. Also known as osteophytes, bone spurs are produced as the body’s natural reaction to abnormal pressure placed on bone. Spinal arthritis often provides enough abnormal pressure for the body to create bone spurs, and these bony overgrowths can cause their own set of painful symptoms if they pinch a nerve root in the spinal column.

Nerve Root Compression

Spinal nerve roots extend off from the spinal cord and branch into other areas of the body. As they exit the spinal column, they travel through bilateral intervertebral canals (passageways on either side of a motion segment) called foramina. As facet joint degeneration progresses, the normal spacing between vertebrae and the movement of the affected motion segment is altered. In turn, the resulting dysfunction can lead to the compression of a nerve root. Nerve root compression often causes symptoms that follow the path of the nerve to other areas of the body, which can seemingly arise as pain in a singular arm or leg. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling.

Consult a Physician

Individuals who are experiencing what they believe to be spinal arthritis symptoms should speak with their family doctor or a spine specialist. He or she can then determine whether spinal osteoarthritis is the cause of symptoms, and formulate a treatment plan that should help relieve pain and improve a patient’s quality of life.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and several other spinal conditions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute offers safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and other spinal conditions. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/arthritis_of_the_spine

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Aging
Keywords: spinal arthritis