What Are The Symptoms Of Arthritis In The Head

Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints in the cervical spine the neck. The first vertebra, called the atlas, supports the weight of the head .

The first vertebra, called the atlas, supports the weight of the head. Photo Source: SpineUniverse.com.

Beneath the atlas is the axis, which helps the atlas rotate and gives the neck its ability to move at different angles. A bony projection called the odontoid process or the densbecause its shape appears tooth-like, enables the atlas to pivot. This structure helps your head to nod and turn side-to-side. The atlantoaxial joint sits between the atlas and the axis and is a common place where RA may develop in the spine. However, rheumatoid arthritis may affect any joint in the spinal column.

Beneath the atlas is the axis, which helps the atlas rotate and gives the neck its ability to move at different angles. Photo Source: 123RF.com.

Injections For Shoulder Arthritis

There are currently two types of injections that can provide pain relief for shoulder arthritis. The first type is cortisone shots. Typically, cortisone is mixed with a numbing agent that provides immediate pain relief and helps your doctor know if the injection is in the right place. Once the numbing medicine wears off, the joint may be sore until the cortisone kicks in. Its important to ice the shoulder for a day or so after the shot.

Cortisone shots dont damage the shoulder, but most surgeons limit them to no more than a few a year in most cases of arthritis. Cortisone shots may increase the risk of infection if you undergo a total shoulder replacement soon after the shot. If you are considering the surgery, consider avoiding cortisone shots a few months prior.

The other medicine that can help with shoulder arthritis is synthetically manufactured hyaluronic acid. Its a naturally occurring lubricant in the human body. This liquid substance has been injected into arthritic knees for many years. This injection sometimes helps with the pain for up to two years, but it is unusual for it to take all the pain away for an extended period of time.

The current recommendation is not to have shoulder replacement surgery within three months of having a cortisone shot in the shoulder. If you are considering surgery, it is best to avoid cortisone shots until you have discussed it with your doctor.

What Types Of Arthritis Affect The Jaw

The joint responsible for jaw pain is the temporal mandibular joint . This is where the lower jaw hinges at the level of the ear, Dr. Bykerk says. Responsible for talking as well as eating, the TMJ is the most frequently used joint in the body. This frequency of use also makes the jaw susceptible to different kinds of arthritis.

Like other joints, the TMJ is at risk for osteoarthritis, along with other types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, says Lauren Levi, DMD, dentist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that affects the TMJ.

Some people may be more at risk for arthritis in the jaw than others. Macro or microtrauma, through grinding or clenching, along with decreased lubrication in the joint may increase the risk for developing arthritis, Dr. Levi says.

Stress and chronic pain in the body, such as may occur with arthritis elsewhere, can cause clenching so in a vicious cycle, jaw pain and arthritis may become a chicken or the egg scenario, Dr. Bykerk says.

People will clench if they have pain, if they are stressed, or pain can result if they clench too much or grind their teeth, called bruxism, she says. If bruxism and clenching go on too long the TMJ can wear out, the cartilage in the joint can break down and degenerative arthritis occurs.

You May Like: What Foods Help Reduce Arthritis Pain

Also Check: Does Arthritis Cause Weight Loss

Points To Remember About Arthritis

• “Arthritis” means joint inflammation. Although joint inflammation is a symptom or sign rather than a specific diagnosis, the term arthritis is often used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints.
• There are many types of arthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis, gout, juvenile arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Medications and surgery can treat arthritis.
• Activities that can help reduce symptoms at home include exercise hot and cold therapies relaxation therapies splints and braces and assistive devices.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hip

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease resulting from the immune system attacking healthy tissue in the joints, including the hip. It causes inflammation of the synovial membrane, the capsule surrounding the hip joint. Inflammatory cells release substances that break down hip cartilage over time. RA typically affects smaller joints such as the wrist and fingers first, and may not be noticeable in the hip until it causes symptoms.

Also Check: Is Asparagus Good For Arthritis

Gout And Calcium Crystal Diseases

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that can cause painful swelling in joints. It typically affects the big toe, but it can also affect other joints in the body.

Joints affected by gout can become red and hot. The skin may also look shiny and can peel.

Its caused by having too much urate, otherwise known as uric acid, in the body. We all have a certain amount of urate in our body.

However, being overweight or eating and drinking too much of certain types of food and alcoholic drinks can cause some people to have more urate in their bodies. The genes you inherit can make you more likely to develop gout.

If it reaches a high level, urate can form into crystals that remain in and around the joint. They can be there for a while without causing any problems and even without the person realising they are there.

A knock to a part of the body or having a fever can lead to the crystals falling into the soft part of the joint. This will cause pain and swelling.

There are drugs that can reduce the amount of urate in the body and prevent gout attacks. Examples are allopurinol and . If youre having a gout attack, youll also need short-term pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as paracetamol can be good drugs to try first.

Men can get gout from their mid-20s, and in women its more common after the menopause. Taking water tablets can increase the risk of gout.

There are also conditions that cause calcium crystals to form in and around joints.

Surgery For Neck Arthritis

Surgery is usually a last resort for neck arthritis, says Dr. Milani. Your doctor may recommend it if you have severe pain that isnt relieved with nonsurgical treatment or if you have signs of neurologic injury. Surgery may be needed if the arthritis causes instability, or more importantly, impingement of nerves and/or the spinal cord, says Dr. Shah.

Also Check: How To Tell If You Have Arthritis

What Happens At Your Appointment

The GP will ask you about your symptoms and examine your temples.

After having some blood tests, you’ll be referred to a specialist.

They may carry out further tests to help diagnose temporal arteritis.

You may have:

• an ultrasound scan of your temples
• a biopsy under local anaesthetic where a small piece of the temporal artery is removed and checked for signs of temporal arteritis

If you have problems with your vision, you should have a same-day appointment with an eye specialist at a hospital eye department.

How In Motion Oc Can Help With Neck Arthritis

In Motion O.C. understands just how frustrating it can be to live with symptoms of neck arthritis and we dont want you to have to deal with the symptoms any longer.

Weve helped dozens of people overcome their symptoms of neck arthritis and wed love to help you, too.

As the number one physical therapist in the country on Yelp! and Google, we are committed to providing the best possible care to each and every person that walks through our doors.

*This information about physical therapy for neck arthritis was reviewed by Dr Natalie Thomas, PT, DPT. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact us here.

Don’t Miss: Can Alcohol Affect Rheumatoid Arthritis

When Should I Call The Healthcare Provider

Most cases of neck pain go away on their own or with nonsurgical treatments. If neck pain or discomfort lasts more than a few days, reach out to your healthcare provider for guidance.

Seek immediate medical care if you have:

• Severe pain or pain that is worsening.
• Numbness or tingling in arms.
• Trouble with coordination, trouble walking.
• Muscle weakness or heaviness in arms or legs.
• Loss of bladder or bowel control.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: How Chronic Inflammation Affects The Brain

A recent study demonstrates how the chronic inflammation that characterizes rheumatoid arthritis affects the brain. The results may explain the cognitive symptoms described as brain fog.

More than 1.3 million people in the United States live with rheumatoid arthritis.

This is an autoimmune disorder in which the bodys immune system does not recognize the synovial fluid in the joints and attacks it, causing chronic inflammation.

But does this chronic inflammation also affect the brain? And if so, how?

This question prompted researchers co-led by Andrew Schrepf and Chelsea Kaplan, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to examine the brains of 54 people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Schrepf, a research investigator at Michigan Medicines Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, explains the motivation for the study , the results of which have now been published in the journal Nature Communications.

He explains, Even though it has been assumed for a long time that the inflammation we see in blood is impacting the brain, up until this study we didnt know precisely where and how those changes in the brain were actually happening.

Schrepf adds that the effects of inflammation are easier to understand when the illness is short-lived, such as in the case of the flu.

But he also notes that the researchers wanted to understand what is happening in conditions where patients have inflammation for weeks, months, or years, such as in rheumatoid arthritis.

You May Like: Can Psoriatic Arthritis Cause High Blood Pressure

Prevalence Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Headaches

Research from the International Journal of Headache, Cephalalgia, finds up to 17% of people with RA experience headaches. The headache study compared headaches in people with lupus to people with RA, so it is likely headache prevalence in people with RA is much higher than the sample size.

Researchers have confirmed a connection between chronic pain and headaches. In 2013, researchers from the University of São Paulo. Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil and the Central Hospital of Maputo, Mozambique, analyzed the prevalence and nature of the headaches in people with chronic pain conditions, such as RA.

What they found is headaches are frequent in people living with chronic pain and affected up to 45% of the study participants. And even though a headache was not the primary source of pain, it was a second major type for many of the study subjects. Migraines affected 11.9% of the patients, tension headache affected 23.8%, and cervicogenic headache affected 7.6%. Cervicogenic headaches result from cervical spine conditions that affect bony areas, discs or soft tissues.

Research shows RA patients with cervical spine involvement have neurological symptoms and headaches. Your cervical spine includes the small spine bones closest to the skull and going down your neck and back.

Can My Headaches Be Caused By Arthritis In My Neck Some Non

Lots of people get headaches every now and again. Your cervical vertebrae, located at the top of your spine, support the weight of your head on a delicate column. If you have osteoarthritis that impacts the vertebrae at the top of your spine, your headaches could actually be related to this larger condition, called cervicogenic headaches. With treatment, you can address your arthritis symptoms and headaches.

The experienced care team at Spine & Joint Physicians of Frisco, led by S. Justin Badiyan, MD, can diagnose the real cause of your neck pain and help you put together a useful, noninvasive treatment plan. With the right support, including minimally invasive procedures, non-opioid medications, and physical therapy, you may be able to solve the issue without needing to resort to surgical treatment.

Heres what we think you should know about the connection between headache pain and arthritis in your neck.

Read Also: How To Treat Arthritis Pain In Hip

Which Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Make an appointment with your rheumatologist right away if you start having neurological symptoms, like tingling, weakness, and numbness in your arms, hands, or fingers. Also call if you have muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders, trouble walking, loss of balance, headaches, and grinding or popping sounds when you move your head. If imaging tests show instability, the next step is a referral to a neurosurgeon for possible neck-fusion surgery. If you are scheduled for any other surgery prior to that procedure, Dr. Bhatt recommends you contact your rheumatologist so he can consult with that team. The way your neck is moved during anesthesia can damage an RA-affected joint.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Tested For Psoriatic Arthritis

How Is Spinal Arthritis Diagnosed

Your doctor may use some or all of the following diagnostic methods to confirm spinal arthritis:

• Medical history and physical exam

• Blood tests for genetic markers and/or RA antibodies

• X-rays of the spine to locate the arthritic joint

• MRI, CT scan, myelography, bone scan and/or ultrasound to zero in on the damage, detect nerve and spinal cord involvement or rule out other causes

• Joint aspiration: testing of the synovial fluid inside a joint

To pinpoint the painful joint, your doctor may numb it with an injection and check whether the pain goes away.

Don’t Miss: How To Treat Arthritis In Shoulder

What Is Neck Arthritis

More than 85% of people over the age of 60 experience neck arthritis also referred to as cervical spondylosis.

Cervical spondylosis affects the spinal disks in your neck.

Over time, the cartilage in your neck joints begins to break down.

Just as in other forms of arthritis throughout the rest of the body, neck arthritis is the age-related wear-and-tear of bones, joints, and discs in your neck.

Rotator Cuff Tear Arthropathy

Rotator cuff tear arthropathy is a type of shoulder arthritis that can develop after a massive and prolonged rotator cuff tear. The four rotator cuff tendons in your shoulder wrap around the ball portion of the shoulder joint, holding it in place. If one or more of these tendons is heavily torn, this may cause the humeral head to rub against other bones and develop arthritis.

Don’t Miss: What Are The Five Worst Foods To Eat For Arthritis

Why Neck Inflammation Can Be Dangerous

When RA inflammation affects a joint, it can cause bone erosions and slackness in ligaments. In the neck, this can lead to instability between the first and second vertebrae as well as alignment problems when you tilt your head forward or back. If it progresses, the nerves may get impinged, which can lead to weakness and numbness in extremities, says Rajat Bhatt, M.D., a rheumatologist at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital in Richmond, TX. Severe instability can also lead to compression of the spinal cord, which can be fatal. Fortunately, surgery to fuse the joint can eliminate the risk .

What The Difference Between Cervical Spondylosis And Spondylitis Spondylolysis And Spondylolisthesis

Cervical spondylosis is a degeneration or breakdown of the spine and disks in your neck. It is a general term for the situation that occurs in your neck area. It is an arthritis of the joints between the vertebrae in the neck.

Spondylitis is inflammation of one or more vertebrae. Itis means inflammation. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis in your spine. Ankylosing spondylitis can result in vertebrae fusing together.

Spondylolysis is a physical break in the mid-arch area of a section of vertebrae called the pars interarticularis. The pars interarticularis are the horizontal pieces on the sides of the main body of each vertebrae the wings on the body of each vertebrae. This condition is usually caused by injury, trauma or overuse by hyperextension . Spondylolysis usually occurs in the lumber spine.

Cervical spondylolisthesis is a specific condition in which one vertebra slips forward over the vertebrae beneath it. A fracture or injury of the vertebrae of the spine can cause the vertebra to start to shift out of place.

Don’t Miss: What To Avoid When You Have Arthritis

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:

• Excess weight/obesity

• Presence of certain conditions such as diabetes, gout, psoriasis, tuberculosis, irritable bowel syndrome and Lyme disease

What You Need To Know About Neck Arthritis

When neck arthritis strikes, it can cause painful joint inflammation and stiffness. There are various types of neck arthritis, such as the following:

• Cervical osteoarthritis involves the breakdown of the cartilage within the necks joints, which may occur due to wear-and-tear over time or may be accelerated by an injury.

• See Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Spine

• Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes enthesitis, which is inflammation where the ligaments and tendons attach to bone. While ankylosing spondylitis typically starts in the hips and lower back, it can eventually work its way up to the neck in severe cases.

The focus of this blog is cervical osteoarthritis, which is the most common form of neck arthritis that is discussed on this site.

You May Like: Is Egg Good For Rheumatoid Arthritis