Cartilage is that slightly elastic slick tissue that connects and covers bone at the ends of the joints. Cartilage works by minimizing the daily impact of moving around as a protective safeguarding cushion. Your bone cartilage naturally and sometimes accidentally weakens throughout your life when participating in sports activities, any type of repeated heavy work, including excessive exercise, repeated injuries and obesity. All of these take their toll on your joints. However, to maintain your health, you must move your joints, although not to excess as damage does accumulate throughout the years.
Commonly arthritis affects areas such as the neck and jaw, hips, knees and lower back as well as the fingers, thumbs and toe joints, because of the normal everyday wear and tear they bear. However, Osteoarthritis of the spine or spinal arthritis is one of the most common complaints from back pain.
Your spine is a great mechanical composite within your body, spinal arthritis breaks down the protective bone cartridge that support the joints that surface the back of the spine. While this is happening, there is automatic pain associated with the mechanical movements of daily activity. In turn, the joints of the spine progressively degenerate from inflammation causing even more pain from friction.
Spinal arthritis structurally divided into two separate forms; the lumbar or lower back type is lumbosacral arthritis, since it creates pain and stiffness in the lower spine. Cervical spine suffers arthritis as cervical spondylosis while it creates pain and stiffness in the higher portions of the spine such as the neck, upper spine, shoulders as well as head and arms.
Although there may be many different factors that cause Osteoarthritis, research considers that spinal arthritis is causes by a combination of factors working in sync. The daily personal life of each individual will determine the factors that influence their spinal arthritis. Trauma and strains repeatedly damage the joints by any of the above-mentioned reasons as well as surgery, bad posture and both sports and work related accidents or activities.
Many individuals are active in their lives and the motion they create daily puts them at risk for spinal arthritis, whether they are moving heavy objects at work or home. Some athletes also suffer from the disease from their regular body friction. While other factors such as age, gender, weight, genetics and associated diseases also play a part in causing spinal arthritis.
When being prescribed the medication for spinal arthritis or Osteoarthritis of the spine you will need to know the name, dosage as well as the administration and scheduling for arthritis medication. You will want to know what benefits it offers as well as its side effects, while learning the amount of time the medication should take effect for pain relief and when to contact your physician in case the medication brings no relief. You will also need to consult with your physician about any other types of drugs or natural arthritis pain relief you may want to try, before doing so.
One of the best ways to manage the stiffness and pain from spinal arthritis or Osteoarthritis of the spine is to exercise as this will aid in expanding the range of motion in your spine and reduce pain. Exercise will help control weight while maintaining the health of muscles and joints.
Arthritis Related Article
Identifying the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is an autoimmune disease that affects the small joints of the hands, feet, wrists and elbows. Many times rheumatoid arthritis begins with a high fever with swollen, painful, stiff knuckles from an...
