Symptoms of Widespread Back Stiffness
- Gradual stiffness emerging in the neck & spreading down the back and involving the sacro-iliac angle (often mis-attributed to the sacro-iliac joint)
- Stiffness affecting the cervical or lumbar spine
- Stiffness of the spine & associated with muscle pain & spasm particularly paravertebral
| Presentation | Diagnosis | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Neck / back stiff in the morning & other joints may be swollen stiff & sore | Ankylosing Spondylitis
Blood tests and Chest excursion |
Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory therapy & Muscle Balance Physiotherapy and mobilisation & treatment modulated by a Rheumatologist |
| Stiffness in the morning & during the day with local back pain | Enentheses
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Collagen diseases |
Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory therapy & Muscle Balance Physiotherapy and mobilisation & treatment modulated by a Rheumatologist or Chronic Pain Management & facet joint injections or nerve root ablation. |
| Morning stiffness extending through the day | Polymyalgia | Muscle Balance Physiotherapy but where symptoms are lumbar located Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression & Foraminoplasty may expose mis-diagnosis as to the diagnosis. |