| General Illness Information |
Common Name: |
Cervical
Spondylosis |
|
Medical Term:
|
Cervical Musculoskeletal Discomfort; Cervical
Radiculopathy |
| Description: |
Degenerative changes of the vertebrae
and the disks in the neck. Cervical spondylosis narrows the spinal
canal in the neck, through which the spinal cord runs, causing
pressure on nerves and spinal cord at the level of the neck,
causing malfunction. Affects men and women equally. Very common
after age 50, and considered by many to be a natural aging
phenomenon. |
| Causes: |
Osteoarthritis (wear and tear
on joints that accompanies aging).
Arthritis (inflammation of a
joint).
Injuries such as automobile
accidents with "whiplash" injury, athletic injuries,
sudden jerks on the arms, falls. |
| Prevention: |
Avoid injury. Wear protective
headgear for contact sports. Use seat belts in vehicles and keep
headrests at proper height. Avoid sitting in cramped positions.
|
| Signs
& Symptoms |
|
Symptoms depend on whether
there is nerve root compression or spinal cord compression. |
|
With nerve root
compression: |
 |
Pain in the neck,
radiating to the shoulder blades, top of the shoulders,
upper arms, hands or back of the head. |
|
Numbness and tingling in
the arms, hands and fingers; some loss of feeling in the
hands; and impairment of reflexes. |
|
Muscle weakness and
deterioration; diminished reflexes. |
|
Neck stiffness. |
|
Headache. |
|
Dizziness; unsteady
gait. |
|
Crunching sounds with
movement of the neck or shoulder muscles. |
|
|
|
With Spinal cord
compression: |
|
Change in gait- leg movements
become jerky and walking becomes unsteady. |
|
With advanced disease, loss of
bladder control and leg weakness. |
|
| Risk Factors |
|
Adults over 50. |
|
Neck injury. |
|
| Diagnosis & Treatment |
| X-rays
or MRI scans or other diagnostic tests may be obtained to
confirm the diagnosis |
| General
Measures: |
|
Apply moist heat. Take
hot showers and let the water beat on neck and shoulders for
10 to 20 minutes twice a day. Between showers, apply hot
soaks to neck. Soak towel or cloth in hot water, wring out
and apply. |
|
Gentle massage. |
|
For acute flare-ups, ice
packs may be helpful. |
|
Improve your posture. |
|
Use a cervical pillow,
wear soft fabric collar, or put a small round towel under
the neck. |
|
If numbness or pain
affects the hands or arms, your doctor may referred you for
cervical-traction. |
|
Ultrasonic treatments
may be recommended. |
|
Surgery (sometimes) to
fuse neck bones, remove a damaged disk or enlarge the
spinal-cord space. |
|
| Medications: |
|
For minor discomfort or disability, you may
use aspirin or acetaminophen. |
|
For serious discomfort,
stronger pain medicine, muscle relaxants or tranquilizers
may be prescribed. |
|
Recently, there have been very positive studies on the role of Glucosamine in modifying the
disease process. As a result, many physicians are advocating the long-term use of Glucosamine in osteoarthritis. |
|
| Activity: |
|
Any activity that does not cause symptoms is
recommended. |
|
| Diet: |
|
No special diet. |
|
| Possible
Complications : |
|
Reduced neck flexibility
after surgery or treatment. |
|
If untreated, a spastic gait
may result as the disease progresses. |
|
| Prognosis |
| Minor symptoms
usually respond well to treatment and subside slowly. Severe
symptoms may persist indefinitely. |
|
| Other |
|
|