What is Discitis
Discitis is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the disks in the spine. Disks are soft structures that cushion the bones of the spine. This is not a common condition. Discitis most often affects the disks of the lower back (lumbar discs) or upper back (thoracic discs).
What are the causes?
A bacterial or viral infection can lead to diskitis. When diskitis develops, it is often accompanied by infection-induced inflammation of the bones (osteomyelitis) surrounding the spine. The condition can also be caused by inflammation from another condition, like an autoimmune disease. If you have an autoimmune disease, your body’s defense system (immune system) mistakenly attacks your own healthy cells instead of germs and other things that can make you sick.
What increases the risk?
People at higher risk of developing diskitis include:
- Children.
- Older persons.
- People with weak immune systems or immune system disorders.
- People with diabetes.
- People having chemotherapy.
What are the signs or symptoms?
Back or stomach pain is the most common symptom of diskitis. Walking, standing, and sitting may be painful. Other symptoms may include:
- Trouble standing or rising from a sitting position.
- Fever lower than 102°F (38.9°C).
- Back stiffness.
- Flu-like symptoms, such as a sore throat and a runny nose.
- Irritability.
- Feeling pain when the affected area is touched.
How is this diagnosed?
Your health care provider can diagnose diskitis based on symptoms and medical history. Your health care provider will also do a physical exam. You may also need to have blood tests or imaging studies, such as:
- X-ray of the spine.
- MRI of the spine.
- A bone scan.
How is this treated?
Treatment for diskitis may include:
- Bed rest.
- Medicines,
such as:
- Antibiotics to treat a possible bacterial infection.
- Anti-inflammatory medicines.
- Steroids if the condition does not improve over time.
- Pain-relieving medicines.
- A brace to stop your back from moving.
Follow these instructions at home:
- If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, finish it all even if you start to feel better.
- Take medicines only as directed by your health care provider.
- Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You have difficulty walking or standing.
- You have persistent back pain.
- You are having side effects from medicines.
