How Cervical Spondylosis Affects the Neck

The spinal cord is one of the most important arrangements of bones in our body as it is required to give proper strength and shape to the body. The spinal cord is not just for providing a proper posture but it also controls the neural impulses and acts as a connected medium from the brain to the rest of the body. Cervical Spondylosis is an age-related condition that actually occurs as age advances and it causes wear and tear of the spinal disc present in the neck. Usually, the disc gets dehydrated and strings which are sometimes signs of osteoarthritis that cause bony projections at the edges of the bone which are called bone spurs. Also, it causes the natural wearing down of cartilage ligaments bones, and discs of the neck that causes extreme pain in the neck and stiffness usually people suffering from it use ice, heat therapy, or massage. Usually, this condition occurs due to other health-related issues such as arthritis or osteoarthritis, or majorly it affects older people of age 60 years and these days it has started to affect middle-aged people because of their diet and sedentary lifestyle. According to the top neurologist in Jaipur, having Cervical Spondylosis affects the overall quality of life as the person is not able to perform daily tasks or activities.

How does it affect the neck?

People who actually suffer from osteoarthritis have a lot of pain in the neck which is caused due to degeneration of the vertebrae. And while the body tries to heal it tries to generate and repair itself. It sometimes overgrows and produces abnormal spurs or extra growth of bone and narrows the spinal canal of the neck which causes pain and discomfort.

The disc between the vertebrae starts to get degenerated and narrows the spinal canal space that fails to protect the spine, which is the main function of the disc. As it provides cushion for the spinal cord; it becomes more susceptible to injuries that can be caused due to sudden jerks or movements. Mostly, people experience neck trauma that severely damages the spinal cord due to this reason only. There are cases in which people are born with a narrow spinal canal that causes compression due to Spondylosis and cause more severe problems.

Symptoms

People that suffer from Cervical Spondylosis usually do not experience many symptoms unless and until the pain grows and the neck becomes stiff. As a result, the narrowing space between the spinal cord and the nerve roots causes severe physiological and neurological problems. Some symptoms that a person might experience include:

• Loss of bladder control
• Loss of bowel control
• Numbness in the arms and legs
• Tingling and weakness in the arms legs and feet
• Pain in the neck
• Pain while sneezing coughing
• Stiffness in the neck
• Headache especially the back of the head
• Neck pain that radiates to the head shoulder and arms
• Minor trauma can cause severe damage such as paralysis
• Dizziness while looking down

Diagnosis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT Scan) are some of the diagnostic methods that are used to diagnose Cervical Spondylosis. MRI provides detailed information about the spinal cord and the roots that helps the doctor or top spine surgeon in Jaipur to provide better treatment options and choose whether they require surgery, medicine, or therapy. Book an appointment now!