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Arthritis is one of those conditions that can make life unbearable. The constant pain is one thing, but the way it affects the joints makes even the most basic, unavoidable movements agonizing. This is particularly true when you have arthritis in your neck.
And treating this condition can be complicated by the fact that arthritis is such a complicated disease. There are so many different kinds of arthritis, and treatment is very dependant on getting an accurate diagnosis. So, let’s look at some of the basic facts about arthritis. And let’s talk about how to treat arthritis in the neck specifically.
What Causes Arthritis?
There are over one hundred different kinds of arthritis classified by the root cause and where it affects you. But luckily, we can simplify things by breaking down the disease into two basic categories: inflammatory and noninflammatory arthritis.
Inflammatory arthritis is generally caused by an autoimmune condition. In a healthy immune system, your body produces antibodies in the white blood cells that attack and destroy bacteria and viruses. But when you suffer from an autoimmune condition, your cells instead begin to attack your own tissue, leading to inflammation and damaging the tissue.
The most common form of inflammatory arthritis is just such an autoimmune condition called Rheumatoid Arthritis, or RA. RA causes inflammation in the joints. Over time, this inflammation breaks down the cells of the protective lining of the joints, called the synovium. The synovium cushions the joints against the movement of your bones. And when this tissue breaks down, the bones rub against the joints causing pain.
On the other hand, the most common type of noninflammatory arthritis is something called Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the normal wear and tear that your joints are subjected to on a daily basis. Over time, this also breaks down the synovium, which is why your risk of osteoarthritis increases as you get older and when you suffer from conditions like obesity that stress the joints.
And while both kinds of arthritis are caused by the destruction of synovium, they require different treatment.
How Do You Treat Arthritis In The Neck?
The first step in treatment is to identify which type of arthritis you have. But generally speaking, in any case of arthritis you want to limit the amount of inflammation you experience since it is this inflammation that can lead to further damage of the joints.
To do so, doctors usually prescribe a few different types of drugs. The most common are basic NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This class of drugs includes things like aspirin and ibuprofen, and they work by stopping your body from releasing enzymes that cause inflammation. As an added benefit, they also help dampen pain receptors in the brain, which helps reduce the amount of pain you feel.
If NSAIDs aren’t enough to limit inflammation, you can also take something called corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are a hormone that your body naturally releases to fight inflammation and promote healing. But sometimes when you suffer from arthritis, the body doesn’t make enough. So your doctor can prescribe synthetic corticosteroids to help. Typically these are in pill form, but they also make topical creams you can rub directly on the affected joints.
But for cases of RA, your doctor will likely also prescribe a kind of drug called an immunosuppressant. Immunosuppressants work by limiting the activity of the immune system that causes inflammation. As research into RA continues, we will likely see increasing use of immunosuppressants specifically designed to target the immune response in the joints and neck. And these types of drugs already exist and are used but they aren’t as effective as they could be.
For osteoarthritis, your options are a bit more limited. You can use any of the drugs designed to control inflammation, as they are quite effective in many cases. You can also try non-pharmaceutical treatments like icing the area or applying heat. And getting adequate rest is always a great way to reduce arthritis pain.
In many cases of arthritis, doctors can perform a surgical procedure called a joint replacement. In a joint replacement, the surgeon actually installs an artificial plastic joint in the place of the damaged tissue. But for obvious reasons, this is not really an option when the joint in question is a vertebra in your neck. That makes these non-surgical options like rest and heat vital to getting relief.
Ultimately, the best way to treat any arthritis is to stay in constant communication with a doctor. That way they can touch base with you about what treatments work and what don’t. And they can monitor your joints for further damage.
But let us know, do you have arthritis in your neck? How do you treat it? Tell us in the comments.
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