The type of spinal arthritis treatment you receive will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your symptoms and the area or areas of the body affected. It's important to understand that there is no known cure for spinal osteoarthritis, which is the deterioration of the smooth, rubbery cartilage that protects the joints that connect the vertebrae, leading to joint inflammation and stiffness. That doesn't mean you have to grin and bear it through bouts with pain, tingling, numbness, or other symptoms associated with arthritis of the spine. Symptom management has come a long way in recent years as orthopedists have developed more advanced treatment methods - both surgical and non-surgical.
Conservative Treatment
Surgery is almost always a last resort for spinal arthritis treatment. In most cases, symptoms can be managed using a regimen of conservative treatment methods, including:
Physical therapy - a licensed physical therapist can develop a program of stretching and exercise to help strengthen back and neck muscles, as well as to improve flexibility along the spine.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - over-the-counter ibuprofen is frequently used, and a doctor might prescribe stronger medication for more severe symptoms.
Corticosteroid injections - a series of pain-numbing and anti-inflammatory injections near the site of the nerve compression or exposed joint nerves can provide temporary relief from symptoms.
Hot/cold therapy - heating pads relax muscles and promote better circulation, while ice packs limit swelling.
Alternative treatments - many people have found success managing symptoms through chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, yoga, and other alternative therapies.
More about Alternative Treatments
Alternative medicine - also called complementary medicine - is an umbrella term for a range of practices and treatments that are not used within the conventional U.S. medical system. Many western doctors - especially doctors in the United States - are skeptical about alternative treatments because these treatments are not supported by modern scientific research. Examples of alternative treatments for the spine include:
Acupuncture
Chiropractic treatments
Massage
Herbs and nutritional supplements
Dietary changes
Aromatherapy
Yoga
Theories behind Alternative Medicine
In general, alternative treatments tend to be based on a certain set of guidelines and principles. For example, alternative treatments are typically "natural." This means that alternative treatments shy away from the use of surgery and prescription drugs. In addition, instead of focusing on only symptoms and tests, alternative treatments take the whole individual into account - mind, body, spirit, and emotions. This leads us to another theory in alternative medicine, namely, that the body is able to heal itself and treatments should encourage this natural healing ability. Finally, instead of treating only the disease or condition currently at hand, alternative medicine often strives to help patients prevent diseases and conditions in the future.
In Conclusion
Your primary care physician may or may not support your decision to try alternative treatments. It is recommended that, even if you do explore one or more alternative treatment options, make sure to continue seeing your primary care physician regularly so that he or she can keep abreast of your progress and provide you with another medical opinion.
Surgical Treatment
If chronic symptoms persist despite several weeks or months of conservative and/or alternative spinal arthritis treatment, surgery might become an option. Talk to your doctor about the contrasts between open back/neck surgery and laser-assisted, minimally invasive procedures. The primary difference is that open back/neck surgery typically requires vertebral fusion, along with the insertion of stabilizing hardware. Minimally invasive procedures are performed using the same type of endoscopic techniques used to perform relatively routine knee and shoulder surgeries.
