Rheumatic spinal instability

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can vary greatly. Swelling and morning stiffness are often initially found in the fingers and wrists, but the large joints of the body can also be affected. In the spine, the cervical spine is particularly affected. This leads to painful restrictions in movement. With advanced changes, patients sometimes also notice shooting pain, sometimes neurological deficits in the form of sensory disturbances in the arms and legs, paralysis and gait instability.

Rheumatic instability is a chronic inflammation of the joint mucous membranes, which in turn leads to the destruction of the bony structures and ligaments. As a result, individual sections of the spine lose stability and misalignments with accompanying neurological symptoms are the consequence.

Early diagnosis with consistent anti-rheumatic medication can halt the inflammatory process and prevent premature destruction of affected spinal structures. This not only reduces the patient's symptoms, but also the risk of late complications and possible surgical interventions. A so-called basic medication is set by the internal medicine rheumatologist.