Cervical spondylosis is a general term used to describe arthritic degeneration of key structures in your neck area. It tends to be more common in older adults who have put decades of stress on their neck region, but spine specialists are starting to see signs of cervical spondylosis in younger adults, and many believe that the rise in smartphones and technology have directly influenced this increase. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the degenerative changes taking place in your neck if you suffer from cervical spondylosis, and how Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute can help you overcome the condition.
Causes And Symptoms Of Cervical Spondylosis
While cervical spondylosis is oftentimes used to describe arthritic changes in the uppermost portion of your spine, other issues can also lead to cervical spinal degeneration. Your cervical spondylosis may be the result of osteoarthritic degeneration, disc degeneration, bone spur onset or a narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis). All of these issues serve to alter the natural alignment and stability of your spine.
These degenerative changes are typically the result of the natural aging process. Over the years, we put a lot of stress on our cervical spine, and as we age our bodies can’t produce healthy bone as efficiently as they used to. This can slowly cause structures to degrade. This degeneration can also be expedited by things like poor posture, acute trauma, smoking, or an underlying health condition or genetic predisposition.
Symptoms of cervical spondylosis will vary based on the specific issue you are dealing with in your neck, but it’s not uncommon for patients who have been diagnosed with the condition to deal with mild to moderate:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness
- Tenderness
- Grinding or clicking sensation when moving the neck
- Headaches
- Muscle spasms
Diagnosing And Treating Cervical Spondylosis
If neck movements have become more uncomfortable or are making daily life less enjoyable, it’s time to connect with your primary care physician or a neck specialist like Dr. Jackman. Continuing to push through your discomfort will only serve to make the degeneration worse, meaning symptoms will likely become more intense. Treatment is simpler than you may imagine, so don’t put off treatment any longer.
When you visit your doctor’s office with the above symptoms, they’ll take some time to review your medical history and talk with you about your discomfort and what actions tend to make symptoms worse or better. After this discussion, they will likely begin a physical assessment to look for signs of an issue with your neck. Odds are they’ll have you perform a few different movements to see how your spine responds to motion and stress. They may suspect cervical spondylosis after these movement screens, but in order to know exactly what’s going on in your neck, they will likely order an imaging test. An x-ray can help to show changes in the vertebrae in your neck, while an MRI or CT scan can provide a more detailed picture of how any degeneration may be affecting soft tissues in the area.
In the majority of cases, treatment for mild to moderate cervical spondylosis will begin with a combination of conservative efforts. Most patients notice enough of an improvement in symptoms that more hands-on care is not necessary. While these treatments will not reverse arthritic degeneration, they can help to slow down further degeneration and expand your comfortable range of motion. Some of the most common treatment recommendations for cervical spondylosis include:
- Physical therapy
- Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
- Ice/Heat therapy
- Soft collar or a neck brace to provide additional neck support
- Posture improvements
In rare instances where intense symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections or a minimally invasive procedure. The type of procedure you receive will be based on you underlying issue, but your doctor may work to remove a portion of a damaged spinal disc or fuse adjacent vertebrae to limit painful movement in the neck area. These procedures have high success rates, but most people do not need this level of care for cervical spondylosis.
Don’t let neck pain negatively affect your life. Instead, connect with a professional who can help make your neck discomfort a thing of the past. For more information, or to talk with a specialist about a different spine issue, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
Caring For Degenerative Discs In Your Neck
