Neck arthritis refers to an inflammatory and chronic disease of the bones and the discs located in the neck. If left untreated, it can easily result to degenerating and aggravating. The disease is mainly caused by types of arthritis that can easily affect the neck including osteoarthritis, post traumatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis
It refers to a systematic condition which affects the joints of the body. The condition is caused by joint cartilage inflammation. Wear and tear of joints in the body can cause osteoarthritis. Repeated stress can lead to multiple hypertensions. Healing ability decreases with age thus people who are more than 40 years of age are more prone to suffer.
Symptoms of neck arthritis
Stiffness and pain are the most common signs that are experienced. The signs may worsen after standing. This is due to the force of gravity that is opposed. Sleeping can also facilitate the pain because when sleeping you will not be able to provide the spine with extra support. Some patients may suffer neurological signs which are as follows:
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Pain which is severe
• Numbness
During the advanced stages of the disease, patients may lose balance, experience dizziness, spinning or headache. Consulting a Moreno valley arthritis doctor will greatly help.
Physical tests
Specific tests may be performed by the physician with an aim of evaluating the nerve compression or the spinal cord. Strength test is executed by gripping the finger of a physician in order to evaluate the discrepancies in the strength between the patients’ hands.
Diagnostic Tests
A patient is first asked to go through an x-ray test by a Moreno valley arthritis doctor, since it helps in assessing the bony structure. The CT myelography test creates three dimensional images and cross sectional images that demonstrate the tissues of the neck that are soft.MRI which is a non-invasive procedure uses both radio and magnetic waves in order to create views of the tissues which are soft with a resolution which is optimum.
Treatment
Treatment of arthritis depends on the level of severity and the identified causes. Arthritis of the neck responds well to the exercises. Your neck will get extra support after wearing a figure of a collarbone. Extra support will be given by the spinal structure and relieve inflammation that may be present. Anti-arthritis and anti-inflammatory diet can be very helpful in the treatment of the symptoms which will occur. Simple cases of arthritis may be treated by massage, heat, exercises and ice. Trigger point injections is another treatment of neck arthritis where a painful muscular band is injected with anesthetic. Radio frequency neurology may be performed to patients who are suffering from chronic neck pain. Other medications of neck arthritis include Advil and Tylenol which must be taken under the supervision of a Moreno valley arthritis doctor. When sleeping, you should use pads that are hot compressed and neck pillows. Place heated pads on the affected site since it’s helpful. Before introducing the heat pad, make sure to place a small towel on the neck area. This is done to make sure that heat delivering process will not be interfered. It prevents the skin from turning red due to compression of excess heat or due to irritation.