Bone Diseases of the Spine

Diseases of the spine are more common than you might think. There are several forms of bone diseases of the spine that range from mild to life threatening. These diseases can occur at any time in your life from inherited factors, age and environment. Spine diseases can also occur spontaneously without any particular causes. These factors make it vitally important to be aware of different spine diseases and how they can affect your health.

Paget's Disease

• Paget's disease is a condition in which your cells are producing too much bone. Each day your body remodels your bones through cells that absorb bone called "osteoclasts" and cells that create new bone called "osteoblasts." With Paget's disease, your osteoclasts are absorbing more bone than they should. This situation stresses your osteoblasts, and they react to the stress by producing too much bone. The result is very large and dense bones that easily fracture and become deformed. Paget's disease can affect any bone in your body, but it is most often seen in the spine, arms and hips. This disease usually affects individuals over the age of 50 and is most likely to be hereditary.

Chordoma

• Chordoma is a potentially life-threatening disease that occurs on the base of the skull or lower spine. It is a tumor that grows slowly and can go undiscovered for a long period of time before you begin to experience symptoms. Symptoms can include problems with your eyesight and headaches, or symptoms can mimic other spinal conditions such as a slipped or bulging disc. You may experience pain and weakness in other areas of your body caused by the tumor compressing nerves. Chordoma is not an inherited disease and is not caused by your environment or choice of diet. This disease is most likely to occur in middle age.

Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Ankylosing spondylitis affects the joints of the spine. This bone disease of the spine is a form of arthritis that targets your lower back where your spine and pelvis come together. Ankylosing spondylitis causes inflammation and swelling in the joints of your spine, which, in turn, damages your backbones. Your spine reacts by producing more bone to attempt to heal the damage. The new bone growth builds up over time and fuses together. Symptoms of this condition are inability to stand straight, constant pain in lower back and other joints, fatigue, pain while walking and trouble standing from a seated position. This condition is more common in male than female individuals, and onset is most likely to occur during the teenage years up the early forties.