Is it Possible to Have Arthritis in My Low Back or Neck

By Spencer Wells, MD

This is a question that I come across on a daily basis in my clinic, and the answer is yes. Arthritis in the low back (lumbar spine) commonly causes the following type of pain: hip and buttock pain, cramping of the lower extremity but usually not below the knee, low back stiffness (especially in the morning), and pain aggravated by prolonged sitting or standing. The most common symptoms of arthritis in the neck (cervical spine) are neck pain, headache, shoulder or shoulder blade pain, and upper arm pain.

So what can we do to help ease this pain? A less invasive approach is physical therapy and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Often times, placing an ice-pack over the arthritic area will help decrease the inflammation as well. When those methods are no longer effective, there are certain injections which may offer long lasting relief of arthritic spine pain.

One option for decreasing inflammation in the spine is an intraarticular facet injection, which is a relatively simple injection of a small amount of corticosteroid directly into the joint using a livex-ray. If this injection offers months of relief, it can be repeated periodically; however, if the relief is effective but short lived, another option called radiofrequency ablation would be recommended.

Radiofrequency ablation is a technique in which a needle is placed in close proximity to the small nerves in the spine which sense arthritic pain. These particular nerves are not involved in motor function or the movement of the legs – they only sense pain coming from the affected joints of the spine. Once accurate placement of the needle is achieved using live x-ray, a small probe is placed within the needle and using low-frequency radio waves for 90 seconds, the nerve is essentially cauterized or burned. Successfully done, this 15 minute in-office procedure can offer up to a year or more of relief from low back and neck pain.

If you suspect that you are suffering from facet arthritis of either the neck or low back, ask your primary care provider or feel free to visit our website or call our office, Desert Pain Specialists at 435-216-7000 for a consultation.