2
4
5
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Skeletal spine
Skeletal spine
Intervertebral disk
Intervertebral disk

Diskitis
Definition:
Diskitis is an inflammation, irritation, and swelling of the intervertebral disk space (the space between the bones of the spine).

Alternative Names:

Disk inflammation
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

This is an uncommon condition usually seen in children less than ten years old.

Diskitis can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection or other inflammatory processes, such as auto-immune diseases (conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks certain cells in the body). The thoracic (upper back) and lumbar (low back) disks are most commonly affected.

Affected children may have a low-grade fever (less than 102 degrees Fahrenheit), back pain and stiffness, and abdominal pain. If they walk, it is with increased curvature of the back and they may have difficulty getting up and standing.

Young children are generally irritable and uncomfortable and may refuse to sit up, stand or walk. The refusal to walk is often misinterpreted by the parents as being related to a lower limb injury. Diskitis can also be confused with problems related to hip pain.
Symptoms:
Signs and tests:
  • X-ray of the lumbosacral spine (may show narrow disk space or abnormalities of the vertebral bodies)
  • MRI of the spine (may show inflammation of the disk space)
  • Bone scan (usually shows increased uptake in the region of inflammation)
  • CBC (shows elevated white blood cells)
  • ESR (elevated, test for inflammation)
Treatment:

The goal is to treat the cause of the inflammation and reduce pain. Anti-staphylococcal antibiotics may be given in cases of suspected infections. Auto-immune diseases are often treated with anti-inflammatory medications.

Resistent cases may be treated with steroids, although the diagnosis of infection should be excluded first. Pain may be relieved with oral pain killers (analgesics) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS); consult your health care provider for the best choice of medications.

Bed rest or immobilization (which may require a body cast) may be recommended in some cases.
Expectations (prognosis):

With infectious causes, full recovery following treatment is expected and chronic back pain related to this condition is very rare. For auto-immune causes, the outcome depends on the particular condition, but these are often chronic illnesses.
Complications:
  • Persistent back pain (rare)
  • Side effects of medications
Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if your child has persistent back pain or problems with standing and walking that seem unusual for his or her age.
Review Date: 12/19/2002
Reviewed By: Andrew L. Chen, M.D., M.S., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com