Cervical Spondylosis is a prevalent and potentially disabling condition, impacting a significant portion of the population at some point in their lives. It is a type of degenerative disease that primarily affects the neck, involving the gradual wear and tear of the spinal disks. With age, these disks become compressed, leading to various symptoms, although some individuals may not experience any.
Symptoms of cervical spondylosis can range from none to severe, with the most common being neck pain and stiffness. In more advanced cases, where spondylotic changes exert pressure on adjacent nerves, patients may suffer from additional symptoms. These include pain, numbness, or tingling that extends down the arm, which may occur with or without neck symptoms. Other potential symptoms include arm and shoulder pain or incontinence.
Diagnosing spondylosis involves a comprehensive approach that includes a detailed history of symptoms, a physical examination, and various imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs.
Effective management of cervical spondylosis often involves physical exercises. An example is the dumbbell shrug, which targets the upper trapezius muscle. This exercise involves standing straight with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand, and performing a shrugging motion with the shoulders.
Spondylosis refers to age-related changes in the spine, including disc degeneration, bone spurs, and thickened ligaments. Cervical spondylotic myelopathy, a specific condition resulting from these changes, involves spinal cord damage due to degeneration in the cervical spine (neck). This can lead to symptoms like tingling and numbness in the arms, hands, legs, and feet.
For further detailed information, you can refer to resources from UNC School of Medicine here, HSS here, University of Rochester Medical Center here, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston here, Harvard Health here, and Columbia Neurosurgery here and here.
