Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebra. It is a form of spondylopathy. In many cases spondylitis involves one or more vertebral joints as well, which itself is called spondylarthritis.
Spondylitis is one of the most common causes of back and neck pain, and results from inflammation of the vertebral joints. The condition is often not detected until it has fully developed and is causing pain. The pain is usually concentrated around the cervical region of the neck, shoulder and lower spine, with downward-moving stinging pain. Types of spondylitis include: cervical spondylitis – which affects the cervical spine, causing pain to spread the back of the neck; lumbar spondylitis – which causes pain in the lumbar region; and ankylosing spondylitis- which is primarily a disease that affects the sacroiliac joints, causing stiffness in the neck, jaw, shoulders, hips and knees.