Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is defined as arthrosis of the posterior intervertebral joints in the cervical vertebrae.
It is common in the middle ages and in the elderly particularly in those whose occupation involves a positive of prolonged neck flexing.
In the early Saturday it is located to two or three cervical vertebral segments, due to degeneration of the intervertebral disc with narrowing and osteophyte formation at the anterior and posterior martins.
The osteophytes cause narrowing of the intervertebral foramen resulting in nerve root irritating.
Clinical Features:
The patient presents with chronic pain in the neck with or without radiating pain down the arm.
There will be different tenderness in the cervical spine with limitation of all movements.
The neurological signs will be confident to one of two roots.
Symptoms:
Most people experience no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they typically include pain and stiffness in the neck.
Sometimes, cervical spondylosis results in a narrowing of the spinal canal within the bones of the spine (the vertebrae). 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. If the spinal cord or nerve roots become pinched, you might experience:
Tingling, numbness and weakness in the arms, hands, legs or feet.
Lack of coordination and difficulty walking.
Loss of bladder or bowel control.
● As people age, the structures that make up the backbone and neck gradually develop wear and tear. These changes can include:
Dehydrated disks: Disks act like cushions between the vertebrae of the spine. By the age of 40, most people's spinal disks begin drying out and shrinking. As the disks become smaller, there is more bone-on-bone contact between the vertebrae.
Herniated disks: Cracks also appear on the exterior of the spinal disks. The soft interior of a disk can squeeze through these cracks. Sometimes, it presses on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Bone spurs: As the disks break down, the body may produce extra amounts of bone in a misguided effort to strengthen the spine. These bone spurs can sometimes pinch the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Stiff ligaments: Ligaments are cords of tissue that connect bone to bone. Spinal ligaments can stiffen with age, making the neck less flexible.
● Risk factors for cervical spondylosis include:
● Age: Cervical spondylosis occurs commonly as part of aging.
● Occupation: Jobs that involve repetitive neck motions, awkward positioning or a lot of overhead work put extra stress on the neck.
● Neck injuries: Previous neck injuries appear to increase the risk of cervical spondylosis.
● Genetic factors: Some individuals in certain families will experience more of these changes over time.
● Smoking: Smoking has been linked to increased neck pain.
