A Beginners Guide on Cervical Spondylosis

 

Cervical spondylosis is merely a general term used in reference for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck. As the disks dehydrate and shrink, signs of osteoarthritis develop, including bony projections along the edges of bones. This health complication is exceptionally common and worsens with age. Actually, more than 85% of people older than age 60 are affected by cervical spondylosis.

 

In case you have cervical spondylosis, it is normal for your neck to ache, hurt, or feel stiff. Healthcare providers can't fix cervical spondylosis, yet they can hold it back from getting worse. No wonder you ought to know about the common cervical spondylosis symptoms to guarantee you seek medical attention inside the shortest time possible.

 

For most individuals, cervical spondylosis causes no symptoms. At the point when symptoms occur, nonsurgical treatment frequently is effective. Sometimes cervical spondylosis results in a narrowing of the spinal canal inside the bones of the spine.

 

Remember the spinal canal is the space inside the vertebrae that the spinal cord and the nerve roots pass through to reach the rest of the body. On the off chance that the spinal cord or nerve roots become pinche, you might experience, tingling, numbness and weakness in the arms, hands, legs or feet, lack of coordination and difficult walking, and loss of bladder or bowel control.

 

You might be wondering about what causes cervical spondylosis. All things considered; the most common cause is changes in your spine that happen as you age. Changes might incorporate medical conditions; including Degenerative disk disease, Herniated disk, Osteoarthritis, Bone spurs, and Spinal stenosis.

 

Cervical spondylosis tends to increase your risk of developing Cervical myelopathy. This is when something compresses the spinal cord in your neck. It likewise increase cervical radiculopathy, a pinched nerve in your neck.

 

All in all, how is cervical spondylosis diagnosed? A healthcare provider will do a physical examination, remembering looking for bumps or knots for your neck. They might check your neck flexibility, muscle strength and reflexes in your hands, arms or legs, reflexes, and gait (how you walk).

 

You provider might perform different tests to get detailed images or pictures of your spine and check on your skeletal muscles and nerves. Tests might incorporate X-ray, Computed tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (X-ray) scan, Myelogram, Electromyography, and Nerve conduction study. It is then that they can tell you about the next step of action.