Cervical spondylosis is a normal degeneration of age that appears between the vertebrae of the cervical spine, in the neck region, causing symptoms such as:
- Pain in the neck or around the shoulder; Pain radiating from the shoulder to the arms or fingers; Weakness in the arms; Feeling of stiff neck; Headache appearing at the nape of the neck; Tingling affecting the shoulders and arms
The pain caused by cervical spondylosis can get worse when walking, sitting, sneezing or coughing.
Some patients, with the worsening of the disease, may lose the movement of the arms and legs and have difficulty walking and feeling of stiffness in the leg muscles. Sometimes, associated with these symptoms, there may be a feeling of urgency to urinate or an inability to retain urine. In these cases, it is advisable to consult an orthopedist, as the spine may be compromised.
See what are the main diseases of the spine that can also cause this type of symptoms.
How to confirm the diagnosis
To confirm the diagnosis of cervical spondylosis it is important to consult an orthopedist. Generally, the doctor begins by making a physical assessment, to understand which symptoms and movements can cause them to get worse.
However, in most cases, diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT scans or MRIs are required to ensure that there are no other problems that may be causing the same type of symptoms, such as fibromyalgia, for example.
Since it is necessary to screen for other diseases of the spine, the diagnosis of cervical spondylosis may take a few weeks or months to be discovered, however, treatment can be started even before knowing the diagnosis, to relieve pain and improve person's quality of life.
Check out the treatment options for cervical spondylosis.
Who is most at risk for cervical spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is very common in the elderly, due to small changes that appear naturally in the joints of the spine over the years. However, people who are overweight, who have poor posture, or who have jobs with repeated neck movements can also develop spondylosis.
The main changes that happen in the column include:
- Dehydrated discs: after the age of 40, the discs that are between the vertebrae of the spine become increasingly dehydrated and small, allowing contact between the bones, which causes the appearance of pain; Herniated disc: These are very common changes not only in age, but in people who lift a lot of weight without protecting their backs. In these cases, the hernia can put pressure on the spinal cord, causing various types of symptoms; Spurs in the vertebrae: with bone degeneration, the body may end up producing spurs, which are accumulations of bone, produced to try to strengthen the spine. These spurs can also end up putting pressure on the spine and several nerves in the spine region.
In addition, the ligaments of the spine also lose their elasticity, causing difficulty in moving the neck and even the appearance of pain or tingling.
