Rheumatoid Arthritis: Neck Symptoms-Topic Overview When rheumatoid arthritis affects the neck joints, particularly those located at the top of the spine, complications can occur.

• Bones and joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis may dislocate and press on the spinal cord or on the nerve roots.
• Pressure can cause numbness, pain, tingling, weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, and unusual head and neck sensations.
• Pressure may also obstruct blood flow through the blood vessels in the spinal cord.

Neck pain along with weakness, numbness, or tingling of hands, feet, legs, or arms is the most common symptom of possible pressure on the spinal cord or on the nerve roots. Although compression of the spinal cord is fairly rare, it can lead to paralysis if it is not treated.

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What can I do about the RA pain I feel right now?

When you feel bad, you naturally want relief from your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms right away. There are ways to ease pain, even if you can’t stop it completely. Some of these methods may surprise you. Have you tried creams made with capsaicin ? Capsaicin is an ingredient in hot peppers. It's in some creams that you can rub on painful joints. In studies, people with RA who used it this way said they had less pain.Capsaicin prompts the body to release a natural chemical...

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