I have read and gathered various opinions and facts regarding this subject and it is a condition I am dealing with and being called severe. My original understanding of it has somewhat changed and I was wondering if you fine folks might have a firmer take on it than what I do.

So from what I was told is that the cartilage in between the facet joints (lumbar) is eroded or gone, and that the joint itself has basically been opened up to a point that it is unstable and moves freely often causing my back to be "out" which would be a chiropractic subluxation not a medical subluxation. You can audibly hear my back and hips grind with and flexion of the torso. It causes pain no matter what the category and the discs in those particular areas are torn, herniated and dehydrated so they want to fuse it. I have bilateral stenosis and central stenosis both moderate to severe. I am not a believer in low back surgery at this point in time.

From what I had gathered here was hypertrophic referred to spurring and bone overgrowth. I am finding different understandings for that term dependent on which part of the body. I am also going to post in the arthritis forum because I am SURE, not yet medically diagnosed, that I am battling one form or the other. I am leaning towards the RA side giving my findings and symptoms.

Thanks for any info or light you might be able to shed on the subject