Arthritis Pain Or Muscle Pain: How To Tell The Difference
As a Good Samaritan, you helped your neighbour who was moving his couch up to the third floor. The result: your back is throbbing with pain.
Most active people sometimes come up against a few obstacles that can temporarily affect their ability to move and require taking pain medication. A wrong move, a fall or an injury are a few events that can be a source of muscle pain or inflammation. When these events occur, it seems a lot of us line up to read the dizzying selection of product packages on display in the analgesics and anti-inflammatory section at the pharmacy. Faced with such a wide choice of products, it is normal to get confused, especially when we are not exactly certain just what kind of pain is bothering us.
How To Prevent Arthritis
When it comes to arthritis, there are some widespread misconceptions about it. Many people might think arthritis is something that happens to random individuals without any rhyme or reason. Theres no preventing it, and youll either develop it or you wont. Others might think its entirely genetic, and so the chances of developing it are deciding by our family history.
Maybe youre a long-time arthritis patient. Maybe youre just beginning to feel stiffness in your joints, and youre wondering if you might be experiencing the beginnings of arthritis. Or maybe youre just curious, and youre wondering if there are any steps you can take to prevent yourself from developing this condition in the first place.
Whatever the case may be, its always best to be well-informed. Thats why weve put together a guide to arthritis. Here, well talk about what it is, what causes it and what steps you can take to prevent yourself from developing it, or else what steps you can take to help lessen your symptoms.
How Will I Know If I Have Lumbar Arthritis
If youre experiencing lumbar arthritis, you may have already been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. In most cases of psoriatic arthritis, a diagnosis of psoriasis will precede any arthritis symptoms that occur.
If youre experiencing stiffness, creaking, and lost range of motion in your lower back and have never been diagnosed by a doctor with arthritis, see your doctor. They will perform a physical exam to check for inflammation and swelling at the site of your pain.
If your doctor suspects that you have arthritis, you will probably need to have an X-ray. X-rays can show any issues with bone density, cartilage loss, and bone spurs that may be causing your pain.
X-rays can also be useful in tracking your arthritis and assessing whether your recommended treatment is preventing further damage to your joints.
Your doctor will also order a blood test to determine what kind of arthritis you have.
You may be referred to a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in joint pain, for further testing.
- naproxen
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What Type Of Mattress Will Help My Back Pain Exercises
The Amerisleep AS2 mattress, while not cheap, is marketed as one of the best options for those with back pain and is designed to address common sleep problems. The 12-inch AS2 mattress is considered medium firm and is popular with stomach and back sleepers.
Best mattress for lower back pain sufferersWhat mattress is best if I have lower back pain? Ultimately, choosing the best mattress should be a matter of personal preference. There is not one type of mattress that is right for all people with low back pain. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain or stiffness is the best mattress for that person.Is a firm or soft mattress better for back pain?Thâ¦
Reactive Or Enteropathic Arthritis
Both reactive and enteropathic arthritis are tied to lumbar arthritis symptoms.
Reactive arthritis is triggered by an infection in your body. It typically results after a bacterial infection, such as chlamydia or salmonella.
Enteropathic arthritis is typically tied to inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease.
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Best Type Of Mattress For Back Pain
What is the best mattress for people with back problems? In general, memory foam mattresses are considered best for those with back pain. Because memory foam mattresses naturally conform to the curves of your body while you sleep. Not only is it extremely comfortable, but it also eliminates pressure points on your body that can cause back pain.
Stop Eating An Unhealthy Diet
What’s your diet got to do with arthritis? Eating well and maintaining your ideal weight is especially important if you’ve got arthritis. Excess pounds can put lots of stress on weight-bearing joints, which is likely to make arthritis pain worse. Even moderate weight gain can stress joints that are already burdened by arthritis.
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What Are The Top 10 Best Mattresses
Top 10 Memory Foam Mattresses of 2019 Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2019 10. Olee Sleep Ventilated 8 Inch Memory Foam Folding Mattress 9. Home Living Full Size Memory Foam Mattress 10 Inch Refreshing Gel 8. Memory Foam Zinus 12 Inch Mattress Green Tea Green Tea 7.6 Inch Ventilated multilayer memory foam mattress Dream 06FM01T.
Different Areas Where You Can Get Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints and surrounding tissues. Since there are joints all over the body, its possible to get arthritis in many locations even though its most common in the hands, knees and back.
Over time, the cartilage in joints will break down, which leads to inflammation and arthritis. Thats why the condition is so common in hands and knees since those are two areas that are used all the time.
Arthritis can also be caused by injury, such as an old sports injury or a repetitive motion injury. The latter is one of the reasons arthritis can make doing work so difficult. Imagine working in a factory that requires you to pull levers or assemble parts.
Arthritis in the hands would make this work difficult, and so some people find themselves unable to perform their jobs and must seek out assistance.
You can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits with arthritis. You will need to demonstrate that your condition makes you unable to perform the requirements of your job, which is why collecting medical evidence is the most important part of your application.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Spinal Arthritis
Symptoms of spinal arthritis may differ from person to person. In general, they may include:
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Back and neck pain, especially in the lower back
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Stiffness and loss of flexibility in the spine, such as being unable to straighten your back or turn your neck
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Swelling and tenderness over the affected vertebrae
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Feeling of grinding when moving the spine
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Pain, swelling and stiffness in other areas of the body
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Whole-body weakness and fatigue
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Pain and numbness in your arms or legs if the nerves are affected
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Headaches
Although back pain is a common symptom, not all people have it, even those with advanced spinal arthritis. On the other hand, some may experience pain even before arthritis can be seen on an X-ray.
In certain types of spondyloarthritis, eye inflammation may occur, causing pain, watery eyes and blurred vision.
Spondyloarthritis In The Neck
Other types of neck arthritis include psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, which are both considered a type of arthritis called spondyloarthritis. Its an umbrella term for inflammatory diseases that involve both the joints and entheses, the places where ligaments and tendons attach to the bones.
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis often accompanied by psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease. For some people who have psoriatic arthritis, the condition involves the spine, which impacts the neck. Pain happens when inflammation strikes the joints between the vertebrae. This pain can occur on just one side of the body, the neck, and the lower and upper back. Read more about psoriatic arthritis symptoms.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that strikes the bones in your spine and pelvis as well as peripheral joints. Early signs and symptoms might include pain and stiffness in your lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after inactivity. Fatigue and neck pain are common. AS symptoms might worsen, improve, or stop at irregular intervals.
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Early Signs Of Arthritis In The Back
Arthritis in the back arises due to the inflammation of facet joints in the spine or sacroiliac joints between the spine and the pelvis. The main reasons for arthritis in the back include
- Wear and tear
- Professions involving lifting heavy machines or loads
Some of the early signs of arthritis in the back include
Some of the late signs of arthritis in the back include
- Pain that radiates to the arms and legs
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of bowel or bladder function
- Loss of coordination or changes in the ability to walk
- Severe back spasm
- Kyphosis
Will A Knee Replacement Get Rid Of Arthritis Permanently
Thanks to progressive technology today, you dont have to suffer from knee pain forever. When youve tried pain medications, weight loss, steroids, or lubricant injections, and still suffer from pain, knee replacement may be your best option to combat your particular issues.
At Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta in Atlanta, GA, we are here to help you get back to enjoying your life without the struggle of knee pain, whether or not you’ve had knee surgery. Founder and medical director Dr. Christopher Williams uses cutting-edge technologies to provide his patients with premier services and excellent results to live a life well-lived without the constant interruptions of arthritic pain.
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What Causes Spinal Arthritis
Osteoarthritis in the back is often caused by . This condition occurs when the supportive intervertebral discs between each bony vertebra in the spine begin to wear down and lose their cushioning ability. Spinal joints run along the back, or posterior side of the spinal column connecting one vertebra to another. They allow you to move and bend your entire upper body. Less space between vertebrae due to disc disease increases pressure on the spinal joints. When the bones rub together, it causes pain and stiffnesstypically in the lower back.
Scientists arent certain about the cause of inflammatory spinal arthritis, but they believe it may be inherited. More than two dozen genes have been linked to the development of ankylosing spondylitis.
What Is Arthritis Pain
When your pain comes from a body joint like the knees, ankles or fingers, it is called arthritis pain. There are many types of arthritis , but the most common type is known as arthrosis. This is a degenerative disease of the joints that results in the cartilage wearing down. It normally develops as we grow older, and causes a pain that returns often.
If you suffer from arthrosis, you may find:
- that this pain appears following a period of inactivity
- a tenderness when you touch the joint
- joint stiffness
- discomfort during fluctuations in temperature.
Other types of arthritis, as with rheumatoid polyarthritis, also cause inflammation in addition to pain.
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What Type Of Mattress Will Help My Back Pain Hurt
The Nectar mattress can help relieve back pain thanks to its reliable comfort system, which consists of three different layers of memory foam. While this material shrinks to conform to the body, Nectar engineered the foam to avoid the problems that can arise from memory foam being too soft or sleeping too warm.
Arthritis And The Spine
The spine is made up of small, individual bones called vertebrae. They have the task of providing support for the spine. In the spine, arthritis can cause pain and stiffness that you feel most often in your neck and lower back. Cervical arthritis affects the neck and upper part of the spine.
Arthritis is an inflammation and swelling of the joints. The most common symptoms are joint pain and stiffness, and these symptoms typically worsen as you get older. There are more than 100 types of arthritis, with a few being much more common than others.
Four types of arthritis that affect the spine are:
Facet joint syndrome: This arthritis-like condition is the result of the breakdown of the joints between the bones of the spine. It can cause significant neck and back pain. In patients with facet joint syndrome, the cartilage within the facet joints breaks down and becomes inflamed. This causes pain and irritation of the nearby nerves.
Degenerative changes that affect the spine can cause weight to shift unevenly, placing an extra burden on the joints, preventing them from moving smoothly and causing irritation. The irritated and inflamed joints can cause intense pain.
Spinal stenosis: This type of arthritis results from new bone and tissue growth on the spinal column, causing narrowing of the spinal canal. In patients with spinal stenosis, the nerve roots become pinched and irritated, leading to painful burning, numbing, and tingling sensations.
- Knees
- Lower back
- Hands
- Skin
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What Can Be Done For Arthritis In The Back
Conventional approaches to ease arthritis back pain may include:
- Alternative treatments such as acupuncture or chiropractic manipulation.
- Medications to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
- Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that support the back.
- Regular exercise and weight loss, which can increase the flexibility and strength of back muscles.
- Surgical treatment to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves or spine.
How Neck Arthritis Is Diagnosed
Your doctor will start by taking a history and doing a physical exam. Theyll check the range of motion in your neck and test your strength, sensation, and reflexes to find out if there is pressure on your nerves or spinal cord. Theyll ask when your symptoms started, when the pain happens, and what makes the pain better and worse.
Your doctor may order an X-ray to assess alignment and look for arthritic changes, says Dr. Shah. If there is a concern of compression of spinal nerves or the spinal cord, you may need an MRI to look at the neutral structure and discs, says Dr. Shah.
A CT scan may be ordered to look at the bone more closely, especially to see if any bony outgrowths are causing compression. However, X-rays and MRIs are the tests that are usually ordered, says Dr. Shah. A CT scan with a myelogram may be used if an MRI cant be done.
An electromyography, or EMG, may be ordered to assess for nerve compression, says Dr. Shah. An EMG tests the electrical conduction of the nerves in the arms. This test would be helpful if you have multiple nerves being compressed or compression of nerves at the neck and in the arm, he says.
Your doctor may order blood tests to see if you have any antibodies or systemic inflammation that would reveal inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.
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Stop Avoiding Mobility Aids
A cane, walker, or wheelchair may be necessary for some people with arthritis to stay independent and get around on their own. Understandably it can be tough to think about needing some sort of mobility aid, but if you do need one and don’t use it you risk missing out on things you would enjoy.
A cane or wheelchair doesn’t define who you are, and no one will judge you or think less of you for using one. In fact, you’ll probably be admired for getting out there and having fun in spite of needing a little help.
Spinal Arthritis Causes And Risk Factors
The causes of arthritis in the back or neck vary depending on the type of arthritis you have. Besides normal wear and tear and autoimmune triggers, in many cases the exact cause remains unknown. Genetic components have been identified in connection with some forms of spinal arthritis, meaning that it may be hereditary.
Other spinal arthritis risk factors include:
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Excess weight/obesity
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Presence of certain conditions such as diabetes, gout, psoriasis, tuberculosis, irritable bowel syndrome and Lyme disease
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What Is Osteoarthritis Of The Spine
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, and the spine is one of the most commonly affected parts of the body. Osteoarthritis of the spine affects the back and neck.
Osteoarthritis of the neck is sometimes called cervical spondylosis. Spondylosis means arthritis in the spine, and cervical is the medical term for the neck.
The joints in your body go through a normal cycle of damage and repair during your lifetime. But sometimes the process your body goes through to repair joints can change their shape or structure. When these changes happen in one or more of your joints, its called osteoarthritis.
Having back or neck pain doesnt mean you have osteoarthritis. Most cases of neck and back pain only last a short while and will improve by themselves, without treatment.
A joint is where two or more bones meet. You have a number of facet joints that sit on either side of your spine and guide the movement of the bones in your back and neck.
There are 33 vertebrae in your spine these start at the top of your neck and run all the way down your back, to your tailbone.
The spine is sometimes called the vertebral column or spinal column. Its purpose is to protect your spinal cord, carry the weight of your body and help you move around. The spine is split into five sections cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and coccyx.
Strong ligaments surround your spine and support the vertebrae, to help keep them in place.