Although the spine doesn't bend like a knee or elbow, it has many joints that can be affected by osteoarthritis . Sacroiliac joints connect your spine and pelvis, and where each vertebra meets the next, there are several small facet joints and a disc joint that let us bend and twist our bodies comfortably. Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the cartilage that covers, cushions and protects the bones at these joints. In the spine, the disease can also be referred to as spondylosis.

Your Sutter physician will thoroughly review your patient history and symptoms and with a physical exam can, in most cases, make a certain diagnosis for osteoarthritis. Because symptoms of osteoarthritis are very similar to those of several other conditions, more evidence is sometimes needed to rule out or diagnose it. Sutter offers the full range of diagnostic tools, including advanced imaging studies to determine whether osteoarthritis is present in a patient's spine.

If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the spine, your primary Sutter physician may refer you to a rheumatologist (specialist in diseases and conditions of the joints) , spine specialist (orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon) and/or physical therapist.

Although no cure exists for osteoarthritis, Sutter healthcare providers can help patients maintain or regain quality of life and a healthy active lifestyle by managing pain and other symptoms. At Sutter, we always seek the least invasive, yet most effective treatment method for every patient, which may include physical or occupational therapy, medication, or other integrative health approaches.

For more information on osteoarthritis, please see osteoarthritis in our Healthwise health information section. Diagnostic tests are covered under the following topics: spinal X-ray, joint fluid analysis, computed tomography (CT) scan of the spine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine and arthroscopy. Click here for information on classes & support groups. You can find additional information under arthritis and osteoarthritis in MedlinePlus®, a joint effort of the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine.

For more information on bone and joint conditions, select one of the following: