Arthritis and Stenosis

What Are Arthritis And Stenosis?

As we age, we use our neck joints and muscles thousands of times a day. This wear and tear over time can lead to bony changes in the joints and bones (vertebrae) of the neck. These bony changes, along with poor posture, cause spurs of bone that can rub and irritate the surrounding tissue.

When the spurs protrude in the holes on the side of the neck where the nerves exit out (foramen), or the central spinal cord canal, this is called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can be central stenosis or foraminal stenosis. It can cause a variety of symptoms, from chronic pain to numbness and tingling in the arms. In severe cases of central canal stenosis, which affects the spinal cord, poor balance, pain in the legs, and difficulty with walking can occur.

People with rheumatoid arthritis can suffer from neck pain. It is very important for people with rheumatoid arthritis to maintain strength in their shoulder, neck, and postural muscles. This is because a very important ligament in the upper neck often weakens with rheumatoid arthritis and can be a serious health risk if injured.

How We Can Help

Treatment is very important for neck arthritis. We assess your range of motion, joint mobility, strength, and posture. From there, we determine the best plan of treatment, which may involve gentle hands-on therapy to restore joint range of motion, massage to improve muscle mobility, strengthening, range of motion exercises, and postural retraining.

Our physical therapists work with you and your physician to restore natural movement, eliminate pain, and get you back to enjoying your normal activities. Contact The AMERICAN HEADACHE INSTITUTE today to discover how our highly trained Rochester Hills, MI team can help relieve your neck pain quickly!