Vertebral arthritis

The most frequent abnormalities are: Lumbosacral transitional anomalies Scoliosis Hyperyphosis Hyperlordosis Rectification Spondylolysis Spondylolisthesis Vertebral arthritis Facet arthritis Spinal stenosis Fissure, protrusion and disc herniation Postoperative fibrosis Dislocation of the coccyx Atlantoaxial Dislocation Sprain Whiplash Syndrome

What it is

It consists of a degeneration of the intervertebral disc's nucleus pulposus, which looses thickness and density.

Lateral view
1. Normal
2. Osteophyte

How it takes place

Vertebral arthritis is caused by normal wear of the intervertebral disc. In youth this is thick, with a gelatinous consistency. With the passage of time it becomes thinner and loses consistency. Beginning approximately at 30 years of age, it is normal that plain X-rays show initial signs of vertebral arthritis at any spinal level. In fact, healthy elderly usually lose height due to loss of disc thickness, with subsequent joining of vertebrae.

If someone, by his/her faulty posture habits, excess weight or efforts, consistently overloads a spinal segment, this can speed up the degeneration of the implicated intervertebral discs.

Symptoms

Contrary to what was formerly thought, it is now known that this causes no pain.

It is possible that the loss of cushioning capacity facilitates triggering of the neurological mechanism that causes pain, but studies so far have shown that there is no correlation between the degree of wear of the intervertebral disc and the incidence of pain.

Risk

When discs are very thin and weight is poorly absorbed, the excessive overload transmitted to the bone induces its deformation, forming a "bridge" with the vertebra below: this is known as "osteophyte". Although this does not normally present problems or cause pain, it can sometimes compress a nerve. When that happens it can cause pain or loss of strength, and surgery may become necessary.