Question: I have arthritis at the base of my neck and when I stand for too long I get pain and stiffness in my lower back and around my rib cage. l am 53 years old. What should I do to treat it?
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
This sound like you have posture issues compounding your arthritic neck problem. But perhaps something else is also going on. You would be well advised to see your primary care physician for an orthopedic and spinal evaluation.
Perhaps you have arthritis, but you may have spondylosis, spondylitis, multilevel disc disease, or scoliosis just to name a few other conditions that may require further evaluation and management. So you should have a viable diagnosis first, then discuss treatment options once your diagnosis is clear.
Selected imaging and some testing may be advised to help delineate your disorder(s), and all of these evaluations are available to your primary care physician.
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