Stiffness and loss of flexibility in the spine, such as being unable to straighten your back or turn your neck. Swelling and tenderness over the affected vertebrae. Feeling of grinding when moving the spine. Pain, swelling and stiffness in other areas of the body (especially in inflammatory arthritis)
Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis cause inflammation and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic progressive disease causing inflammation in the joints and resulting in painful deformity and immobility. It not only attacks the back but also in the fingers, wrists, feet, and ankles.
Back pain can also attributed to Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward. It causes pain and stiffness in more areas than your spine it is also prevalent in the hip, knee, and thumb joints.
Many people who have arthritis or a related disease may be living with chronic pain. Pain is chronic when it lasts three to six months or longer, but this pain can last a lifetime. It may be constant, or it may come and go.