An Overview Of Treatments For Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis this is an age related disorder which causes abnormal degeneration of the cartilage and other bones of the neck and this disorder will later develop into cervical osteoarthritis in the joint that join the neck bones. Cervical Spondylosis is the leading cause of long term neck pain. It can start off innocently with normal everyday wear and tear leading to a decrease in the cushioning between the neck vertebrae and the cervical spine region.

Causes of cervical spondylosis:

This disorder is caused by continuous wear of the cervical spine which may include the degeneration of discs that exist between the neck vertebrae and the joints between the bones of the cervical spine. Because of this continued wearing of the spine, it will reach a time when one of the nerve roots will be pressed down thus affecting the functioning of arms and legs.

Risk factors for cervical spondylosis:

a. Age; this is the most common risk factor of this disorder to both men and women who are older than 60.

b. Weight; when one is overweight or obese; there is a likelihood of developing this disorder because of the excess weight that the bones have to carry which may lead to pressure on the nerve roots.

c. When one is involved in activities where they will be doing a lot of lifting and bending.

d. Past injury; this may be injury in the neck or in the spine. If someone experienced neck or spine injury several years ago, he/she is at a greater risk of developing this disorder at later stages in their lives.

e. Other risk factors include severe arthritis, slipped disk and osteoporosis which may lead to small fractures to the spine.

Symptoms of Cervical spondylosis

i. Pain; this is one of the common symptoms of this disorder especially occurring on the shoulders. This pain may spread to the rest of the body parts such as the upper arm unto the fingers. This pain gets worse after standing or sitting, at night, when one sneezes or laughs and when bending the neck backwards.

ii. Headaches may also be experienced and they occur at the back of the head.

iii. There is numbness in the shoulders, arms and this if the condition worsens it may spread unto the legs.

iv. Neck stiffness; the neck will become stiff and thus difficulty in turning the head and this gets worse as time goes by with this condition.

v. Other symptoms are not very common with patients with this disorder and they may include: loss of control in bowel movements and loss of balance especially when one stands up.

Examinations and tests

a. Difficulty in rotating the head is the most common examination conducted to ascertain whether someone is suffering from this disorder.

b. Diagnostic tests may include taking an X-ray on the neck, MRI of the neck can be conducted and finally EMG and nerve conduction velocity to asses on functionality of the nerve root.

These tests are ordered when the pain associated with your neck and upper spine are not responding to normal therapies and one starts having numbness in their arms and legs.

Current Treatments For Cervical Spondylosis

Management of the disorder through undergoing: Physical therapy, massage therapy and use of cold packs to reduce the symptoms of the disorder.

Cervical spondylosis can also be treated by taking medications which may include the following; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, use of medications for seizures in low doses and other pain medications as they may be prescribed by the physician. With all back injuries, learning to better manage your symptoms is crucial to minimizing the impact the pain has on your life. This is especially important with cervical spondylosis so that it does not progress in the more serious cervical osteoarthritis.