Rheumatoid Neck Disorders

Rheumatoid Neck Disorders Can Be A Cause Of Mechanical Neck Pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that most typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet. Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of the joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. In addition to causing joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis can also affect your whole body with fevers and fatigue, which would be one of the causes of neck pain that you should seek a health care professional.

It is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men and generally occurs between the ages of 40 and 60. While there’s no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, treatment options have expanded greatly in the past few decades.

It can destroy joints in the neck and cause severe stiffness, pain and instability, typically occurring in the upper neck area.

A 2021 article in AME Case Reports indicates rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease affecting the synovial tissue linings joints and tendons. The prt where the skull attaches the the first cervical bone is the craniocervical junction and is made up exclusively of synovial joints and ligaments that are especially vulnerable to this inflammatory process. The chronic inflammation leads to loss of ligament restriction and erosion of the bony structures and results in craniocervical instability. Where it is between the first two cervical bones, it is called atlantoaxial instability.

managing rheumatoid neck disorders at amazon

Neck pain on motion and occipital headache are common manifestations of cervical spine involvement as in mechanical neck pain. Most patients with neck involvement have a history of the disease for more than 10 years. Early signs, similar to mechanical neck pain are primarily neck stiffness that is felt throughout the entire range of motion. The atlantoaxial joint (first 2 neck bones) is susceptible to the same instability seen in the hands. Patients with severe destruction in the hands are very likely to have neck abnormalities, as are those patients taking significant amounts of corticosteroids for control of rheumatoid arthritis. More about about rheumatoid arthritis of the neck.

We have briefly talked about rheumatoid neck disorders in relation to reasons for mechanical neck pain. The next part focuses on shoulder problems, which can often be mistaken for mechanical neck pain.

Mechanical Neck Pain | Features Neck Pain | Radiographs Neck Pain | Cervical Strain | Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease | C4 Radiculopathy | Failed Neck Surgery | Shoulder Problems | Mechanical Neck Pain Summary

Author Bio

Stephen Ornstein, D.C. has treated thousands of neck, shoulder and back conditions since graduating Sherman Chiropractic College in 1987 and during his involvement in Martial Arts. He holds certifications as a Peer Review Consultant from New York Chiropractic College, Physiological Therapeutics from National Chiropractic College, Modic Antibiotic Spinal Therapy from Dr. Hanne Albert, PT., MPH., Ph.D., Myofascial Release Techniques from Logan Chiropractic College, and learned Active Release Technique from the founder, P. Michael Leahy, DC, ART, CCSP.