![]() ![]() In addition, a pannus (localized mass/swelling of rheumatoid synovial tissue) can also form at this location, causing even more spinal cord compression. A synovitis and erosion of the joint and ligaments connecting the 1st (atlas) and 2nd (axis) cervical vertebrae causes instability of the joint, which may lead to a dislocation and spinal cord compression. The second condition, and the most common, is atlanto-axial instability. The first is basilar invagination (also called cranial settling or superior migration of the odontoid), a condition in which arthritic destruction at the base of the skull causes the skull to “settle” into spinal column, causing a pinching of the spinal cord between the skull and the 1st cervical vertebrae. Rheumatoid disease of the spine is most common in three regions and causes distinct clinical problems. Although RA affects the joints of the hands and legs which can severely decrease function and mobility, people with significant disease in the spine are at risk for neurologic damage such as paraplegia, in addition to problems with pain, mobility, and function. RA can and often does affect almost every joint in the body, especially as people get older. RA is an autoimmune disease that results in the inflammation and destruction of the synovial tissue (special cells and tissue that form the lining) of the joints in the body. ![]() Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that affects approximately 1% of the U.S. ![]()
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