Health All about... neck arthritis We find out what causes arthritis of the neck and how to deal with it WORDS: Dr sarah Jarvis A rthritis can be a pain in the neck quite literally. Not only does it affect the joints in your neck, but it can also cause shoulder pain, too. But why does it happen? Your neck spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae connected via discs with a squashy centre, which acts as a shock-absorber surrounded by a tough coating to keep them in place. Nerves emerge through gaps between the neck vertebrae to supply your arms with power and sensation. Your vertebrae are connected by facet joints. If you develop osteoarthritis in your neck, its known as cervical spondylosis. This is where the discs and facet joints age. Over time, the discs become thinner due to dehydration of the material inside the discs, and the gaps between the bones gets narrower. Bone spurs or overgrowths of bone at the edges of facet joints may also be seen. These occur when the body tries to make the spine stronger, and adapts to wear on the joints. And although cervical spondylosis doesnt necessarily cause symptoms, arthritis anywhere in your neck can lead to pain that spreads to your shoulders; neck stiffness, which is often worse after periods of rest; headaches; and, if the nerve roots are affected, numbness, tingling and sometimes weakness in your arms. Living with pain Neck pain is very common, and often comes and goes. If its severe, your doctor may recommend painkillers, including paracetamol (with or without codeine for stronger pain relief), or anti-inflammatory tablets such as ibuprofen of naproxen. For chronic pain, a low dose of antidepressant tablets (which can be very effective for nerve pain) may be recommended. Physiotherapy can also make a big difference. There are several lifestyle tips to reduce the risk of pain, whether its caused by arthritis or something else. Poor posture often results in neck pain, and can be caused by slouching in chairs, standing with a flat back or leaning on one leg. Hunching over a computer keyboard can also cause neck pain. To alleviate this, position yourself with your computer screen directly in front of you at eye level, and with your feet touching the ground with your knees at right angles. Pilates, yoga and the Alexander Technique can all help with posture. Keeping your neck active is important. The website patient.info has some videos and leaflets of physiotherapy exercises you can try at home. Many people find that sleeping with a single, firm pillow ideally on your back rather than your side can help. Usually, neck and shoulder pain dont indicate a more serious underlying problem. However, see your doctor if: n Its connected with numbness, weakness or persistent pins and needles in your arm n You feel generally unwell, especially with weight loss or fever n The pain keeps getting worse rather than better n The neck bones (rather than muscles on either side) are very tender n You have difficulty walking, including clumsiness in your legs n You experience problems with your bladder or bowels (including sudden incontinence) n You have other medical problems, such as a history of a recent accident, cancer or rheumatoid arthritis Your shoulder is less often affected by osteoarthritis although there are a host of other causes of shoulder pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, which leads to inflammation of the joints. However, neck arthritis can lead to shoulder pain. For more information, visit arthritisresearchuk. org/arthritis-information/conditions/shoulder-pain n To read more about arthritis of the neck, go to arthritiscare.org.uk/do-i-have-arthritis/ publications/448-osteoarthritis-of-the-neck whats a slipped disc? This can cause neck pain, and occurs when the centre of the disc breaks out and presses on the nerves of the spinal column, which runs through the centre of your vertebrae from your brain.
