I have heard that you do not get RA inthe thoracic and lumbar spines, but only in the cervical spine (the neck). Is this true?Nope. It's not true. You can get it in any of your joints. When you get inflammation throughout your entire spine, they usually call it AS. I can't spell it out, something like Andolkysing Sponditis. That may be why they don't call it RA.
Usually the joint has to have a synovial sack around it and most of the spine doesn't. There is no reason you can't have multiple types of arthritis
If your feet and knees hurt bad enough to cause limping - the limp will make your back hurt too.
Lovie has an RA back according to one of her docs.
Yep....I living proof that ya can. If I feel like digging out the MRI results I'll tell you exactly where it is; but you can get it.
My RD sent me to a spine specilist and he ordered an MRI and said it was in fact RA. Other things as well....DDD, Budlging disk....and RA; but yep, RA.
Treatments the same as everything else with a few muscle relaxers thrown in.
I questioned the specilist about it because I didn't think it was possible. He said he sees it most in those that have lived with RA a long time. I'm in my 13th year officially; but I think it's effected my back for a long time.
Oh~ And Welcome Pjacky!
We've got a lot of newbies lately. Groovy!! Glad you guys are here.
Hi,
I don't have RA. I have PA and it attacked my spine first, the rest of my body joined in later! The first site was in my sacro-iliac joint (where your spine joins your pelvis), apparently this is known to happen in PA and it can mimic Ankylosing Spondylitis but tends to involve less of the spine fusion seen in AS if it's treated. Now my whole spine is affected, along with the joints in my skull (yes you do have them!) and jaw and more recently my chest. PA tends to affect the joints of muscles and tendons rather than the synovium alone and this means anywhere is fair game to it. Has your Dr eliminated PA as a possible diagnosis? Have you ever had psoriasis or do you have a family history? My psoriasis has always been only on my scalp so was not really obvious to the Dr until one saw me scratching and asked about it!
KT
Over time, RA does affect the muscles and tendons as well, weakening them. That's when bursitis and tendonitis become such problems. PA really sounds awful, affecting even the bones in the skull. Now, that just sounds creepy and painful.
So, if my scalp stopped being itchy and flaky when they started me on the RA meds, is it possible that is was psoriasis instead of dandruff? I really think it was dandruff. But it is the only link in my family to an autoimmune disease since my grandmother when I was a child said I had it just like my grandfather. I do remember it being really hard to treat. I also had terrible growing pains as a child. But since I never grew, I'd argue that point with my dad. I have just been wondering all this because it seems I've had something for much longer than when I go my diagnosis. The doctors even put that in their notes.
I think a lot of us have been like that Deanna. I had horrible growing pains as a child myself. Also when I was 13 I had to have surgery to correct a growth problem in my leg. On leg was longer than the other. Never once did any doctor I saw; even the ortho, mention any sort of arthritis.
Since I've been dx'ed with RA I've done a lot of research. I read that JRA left untreated in children can cause growth deformities such as one leg being longer than the other. Odd huh?
I too suspect I've had this a lot longer than I've known.....but knowing that doesn't help much now. Does make you wonder though doesn't it?
Yes, I remember having to get pain shots in the middle of the night it was so bad. Then, later my parents allowed me to climb up and get aspirin out the cabinet in the middle of the night. Dad kept saying, "You're just growing." Never had a growing streak and didn't reach 5' until my Junior year in College. I had a lot of health problems as a kid, including Rheumatic Fever and later Mononucleosis which is the same as Epson Barr. Both of thing are suspected of triggering RA. And stress.... I've blown those stress charts off the walls every year of my adult life.