Rheumatoid arthritis

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect all of the joints in the body. Our experts will give you the care you need.

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Orthopedics | About spine surgery | Diagnosis | Treatment | Recovery and rehabilitation

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RA can be caused by many problems. The effects of arthritis on the spine can vary from minor symptoms to life-threatening pressure on the spinal cord. Sometimes surgery is needed to stabilize the spine and reduce pressure on the spinal cord.

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Causes, symptoms and treatments

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RA destroys synovial joints, the most common type of joint in the body. This can include the joints in the neck area of the spine. If this happens, the bones in the upper back can slide on top of the bones in the lower back. This is called spondylolisthesis.

Spondylolisthesis puts pressure on the nerve roots and spinal cord and can cause pain. In some cases, spondylolisthesis can be quite serious.

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RA in the spine can cause a wide range of problems, including:
- Pain
- Blackout spells
- Changes in walking
- Tingling, weakness or loss of coordination
- Incontinence (lack of bladder or bowel control)
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RA can vary from not serious to life-threatening. Most people with RA don't need surgery. We suggest that you work with your primary care provider first and try nonsurgical treatments.

If your RA puts pressure on your spinal cord, surgery may be needed. Surgery is done to stabilize the spine and reduce pressure on the spinal cord. If we do surgery, we use the least invasive method possible.

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