Spinal stiffness and inflammation: Take note

In short, it can be......so I think this is worth a read.

Spinal stiffness is something that majority of people will experience at some point in their lives, from exercise induced soreness, flare ups of Non-Specific Lower back pain, and through age related changes to name a few. These cases, though debilitating, often resolve in a time frame of 4-6 weeks unless they are age related changes which tend to be worse in the morning or when you start moving and can resolve in minutes.

So when should we pay more attention to spinal stiffness? And why?

Well, spinal stiffness is strongly associated with inflammatory conditions, of which there are many. You most likely have heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) as an example. The majority of those with spinal stiffness do not have RA but there are other inflammatory arthritis conditions that are more common. If you have spinal stiffness that lasts longer than 30 minutes in the am and this is alongside pain and stiffness that is worse when still, better when moving, and worse at night, gets better with ibuprofen then these conditions should be strongly considered by the clinician for referral to a rheumatologist. If there is a family history of any extended family member having a diagnosis of any inflammatory condition (RA, Inflammatory arthritis, Crohns, Colitis) then a diagnosis is more likely.

On average it is taking people 8 and a half years to get a diagnosis because these conditions have poor awareness and understanding by GP's and other health professionals. In my experience there are many patients where they have had symptoms for 20+ years and have never been referred.

So why do we refer?

No single test can provide a diagnosis. This requires blood tests, MRI inflammatory scan and discussion with the rheumatologist. These conditions also have worse outcomes for those diagnosed at a later stage. That's because they are degenerative and the sooner the person has the right advice, education and medications the less changes they have over time.

These conditions also have other manifestations in the arms and legs that can present as tendon issues (Achilles, knee, fingers and toes most common), joint swelling, uveitis, IBS, nail changes and rashes.

If you have concerns that you may have one of these conditions then book in today and we can make sure you have a referral plan in place for an assessment with those that can help you to get you on the road to improvement.

Dan

Bath Spine and MSK Physiotherapy