How to Cure Cervical Spondylosis Permanently

By Dr.Ravindra Patil

What is Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a common, age-related disorder of the cervical spine that is located in the neck region. This condition is also known as neck arthritis or cervical osteoarthritis. With age, the cervical discs gradually face wear and tear resulting in the breakdown of the structure. The fluid present between the cervical discs is lost which makes the spine stiffer, leading to cervical pain. This results in changes in the bones, discs, and joints at the spine of the neck.

As a result of the fluid dehydration and degeneration of the discs and cartilage in the surrounding area, abnormal growth or spurs of bones called osteophytes can occur leading to the narrowing of the passage from where spinal nerves exit, causing a related condition called cervical spinal stenosis.

What is Spondylosis?

Spondylosis is an umbrella term that is used to describe any degeneration of the spinal cord. Spondylosis symptoms involve acute pain in the neck and back in old-age. Cervical spondylosis is prevalent among middle-aged and elderly people.

Spondylitis vs Spondylosis

Spondylitis and spondylosis both affect the spinal cord but there is a basic difference between the two. The meaning of spondylitis is that it is the inflammation of one or more typical cervical vertebrae leading to pain in the spine. Cervical spondylosis mostly refers to any kind of degeneration of the spine. So, even though the effects of both the diseases might be similar, their origin and cause are completely different.

Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis: What is the difference?

Cervical spondylosis symptoms can vary from person to person and the extent of cervical spine pain depends on the age of the affected person. Some of the common spondylosis symptoms are:

Excessive stiffness at the neck leads to pain in neck
Cervical spondylosis headache that may originate at the main cervical spondylosis pain areas
Pain in the shoulder and arms
Failure to properly turn the head around
Grinding noise or sensation when trying to turn the neck
Cervical pain is severe in the morning and at night before bedtime
If cervical spondylosis leads to spondylotic myelopathy, the following symptoms may occur:
- Abnormal tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms, hands, feet, and legs
- Lack of balance and coordination
- Abnormal reflexes, random muscle spasms
- Loss of control over urinary bladder and bowels

Causes of Cervical Spondylosis

Wear and tear of the vertebrae in the spinal cord causes degenerative spondylosis. Other causes are:

Bone spurs or abnormal outgrowths of bones called osteophytes
Dehydrated Spinal Discs
Herniated Discs:
Injury of the neck
Stiffness of the Ligament
Excessive Stress and Overuse

Risk Factors of Cervical Spondylosis

The greatest risk factor of cervical spondylosis is aging. Other risk factors are:

Heavy physical actions like heavy lifting
Poor posture in people who work at desk jobs
Genetic factors and family history
Smoking
Being overweight and inactive

How to prevent cervical spondylosis?

Avoid loading heavy objects on the head or neck. Do not sleep on a high-pillow.
For people with desk jobs, maintain a proper posture
Lean back your head once in a while.
Swimming is considered to be a relaxed exercise for cervical pain
Perform general physical activities.
Do not be inactive for a long period of time, take exercise

Diagnosis of Cervical Spondylosis

1. Physical Examination

Testing the reflexes of the patient and checking for the presence of muscle weakness and deficits in the sensory nerve function is done.
Tests are done to determine the range of neck movement
Overall walking movement is checked

2. Imaging Tests

X-Rays
CT Scan
MRI Scan
Myelogram

3. Nerve Function Tests

Electromyogram (EMG) records the passage of nerve signals in the body by measuring the electrical activity of the nerves.
Nerve Conduction Study – the speed and strength of the signals sent by the nerve endings in the body are checked.

Treatment of Cervical Spondylosis

Spondylosis treatments mainly focus on how to cure cervical spondylosis permanently, give pain relief and lower the risk of extensive damage to your vertebrae.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for cervical spondylosis is a great way for pain relief. A trained physical therapist can teach all the exercises for cervical spondylosis.
Neck traction: it uses weights to help increase the space between the cervical joints and reduce the pressure forming on the cervical discs and nerve roots.

Medications

Commonly administered medications for the treatment of Cervical Spondylosis are:

Muscle relaxants
Narcotics are used for severe neck pain
Anti-seizure medications help to reduce pain caused due to damage of nerves
Steroids: Used to reduce the occurrence of tissue inflammation and reduce pain
Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs [NSAIDS]
Antidepressants help in relieving severe neck and shoulder pain
Certain homeopathic medicines also help

Home Remedies for Cervical Spondylosis

Take enough rest
Maintain a proper posture
People who acquire spondylosis at an early age normally do so because of bad study habits
Heat and cold treatment help provide relief and also works in relaxing the sore muscles of the neck and shoulders. Using a heating pack or a cold pack can be a good home remedy for cervical spondylosis
Chiropractic manipulation that can help in order to control events of more severe pain due to cervical spondylosis. However the chiropractor must have the requisite skills of manipulating the neck
Wearing a neck collar for cervical spondylosis helps limit movement and provides support for the neck and shoulders. However, these neck collars should not be worn for a longer period of time as it can cause muscle weakness.
Several people opt for ayurvedic medicine for cervical spondylosis and Patanjali medicine for cervical spondylosis to cure their ailment

The Need for Cervical Spondylosis Surgery

Cervical spondylosis is not progressive even though patients might have to live with severe pain for long periods of time all their life as it is a chronic condition. Cervical Spondylosis Surgery is only advised by doctors in rare cases when other forms of treatment do not help to ease the pain. For people who suffer from a progressive loss of function in the arms, hands, and legs, surgery may be required to fix the defect at the source point. This is because any form of compression at the cord may result in permanent functional disability.

In cases of the surgery, the main goal is to remove the areas or sources that have been applying extra pressure to the spinal cord and nerve endings. Some extensive forms of surgery may also involve the insertion of implants or bone grafts to add stabilization. Doctors also perform a fusion of the degenerated discs as a cure for cervical spondylosis.

Road to Recovery and Aftercare

Cervical spondylosis is not uncommon among people who have crossed their 60s. Early diagnosis of this disease can help doctors recommend a conservative line of treatment to help ease the pain. Though this condition is not reversible, with proper care, home remedies, and lifestyle practices, patients overcome the stiffness and discomfort.