Symptoms Of Cervical Spondylosis | Cervical Spondylosis Treatment

Pain in the Neck: Is It Cervical Spondylosis?

Abnormal wear of the bones on the neck and its cartilage is a disorder called the cervical spondylosis. It is caused when there is a chronic tearing of the tissues on the cervical spine. It will also cause cervical bone spurs or the abnormal growth on the bones of the spine to form.

When the tissue begins to wear away, mineral deposits begin to settle in the cervical disks and form a cushion. Over time, the degeneration of the tissues can cause the pressing down into the nerve roots.

In more severe cases, the spinal cord will be involved which will affect the arms and the legs as well.

Cervical Spondylosis Symptoms

You will have to watch out for following symptoms of cervical spondylosis:

• headache which occurs at the back of the head;
• neck pains that radiate into the arms and shoulders;
• stiffness of the neck which becomes worse over time;
• feeling of weakness on the arms and sometimes even the legs;
• loss of sensation on the shoulders, arms, and legs;
• loss of control on bladder and bowel movements, especially if the spinal cord has already been compressed, and
• loss of balance.

Tests for Cervical Spondylosis

To be able to confirm if you really have the cervical spondylosis, there are examinations that have to be performed on you. Usually, there is limited movement on the head that goes down to the shoulders and difficulty in rotating the head. The weakness of the sensation that will advance to its loss is a sign of serious damage on the nerve roots to the spinal cord.

The following examinations should be done:

• MRI or CT scan
• EMG
• X-ray on the lower lumbar spine
• Neck or spine x-ray

X-rays and scans involve having to inject a dye into the spinal column.

Treatment for Cervical Spondylosis

• Mild cases of cervical spondylosis do not require any kind of treatment. What is usually done is stabilize the condition through simple or conservative therapy. It involves the wearing of a neck brace to restrict motion, non-steroidal medications to avoid inflammation, or cortisone injections on specifically affected areas.
• For extreme cases, treating cervical spondylosis involves relieving the pain and permanently correcting the injury on the spinal cord and its nerve roots through surgery to remove disk and bone tissues that have been causing the press on the nerves.
• A complete bed rest for 14 days may be required and other narcotic medicines and muscle relaxants to reduce pain.

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