One of the most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis, affects up to 30 million Americans. More commonly found in females, osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the end of the bones deteriorates, and as a result bone rubs against bone in the joint area.
Osteoarthritis is a common cause of back pain. Arthritis in the back is called spinal arthritis, and this is the mechanical breakdown of the cartilage in the facet joints. As a result of this breakdown, these vertebral joints become inflamed and as the joint degenerates this creates more frictional pain.
The two types of osteoarthritis in the spine are lumbosacral arthritis and cervical spondylosis. As the names imply – lumbosacral arthritis is osteoarthrithis of the lower back (lumbar spine), and cervical spondylosis is osteoarthritis of the cervical spine (neck).
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