Cervical Spondylosis Treatment

It is a natural aging process which degrades the parts of the neck over time. It is also called arthritis of the neck that makes changes to the parts of the cervical. Such as facet joints, ligamenta flava, facet joints, intervertebral discs and laminae. It is estimated that approx., 85% of individuals are suffering from cervical spondylosis and sometimes they do not experience any symptoms. 

There are some factors which contribute to increasing the risk of this health issue. It includes depression, injury to the neck, family history, smoking and jobs with repetitive movement of the neck. The main reason is due to narrowing of the nerve roots that make it stiff to move. If it is untreated then it can cause neck chronic pain. In this blog, you will learn about some best treatment options for cervical spondylosis.

Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis

There are some signs which to known you have cervical spondylosis. These may vary from person to person. These are mentioned below:-

• Headache
• Stiffness in the neck
• Pain starts from the neck and may travel to shoulder and arms
• Difficulty in maintaining balance
• Swelling in the neck
• Weakness in the arms and legs
• Shoulders, hands and arms get numb
• Bones rub against each other 

Treatment for Cervical Spondylosis

The treatment for the neck injury is done by performing some tests. These are given below:-

Diagnosis

Your healthcare will run some tests before starting its treatment. It is doen to detect the location of spinal injury, transfer of electric impulse and the structure of the spine. These are as follows:-

• Electromyography
• Computed Tomography Scan
• Nerve Conduction test 
• X-Ray
• Myelogram
• Physical examinations to check reflexes, senses, blood flow, strength in the fingers, arms and hands

Best Methods to Treat Cervical Spondylosis

There are some treatments which are useful to treat cervical spondylosis:-

1. Surgical Method

In rare cases, when non-surgical methods are not effective and due to then there is a requirement of an operation. There are some surgical methods which are as follows:-

a) Discectomy 

• It is the procedure in which a surgeon will remove the problem causing disc. Then it is followed by a fusion method. 

b) Spinal Fusion 

• After performing the above surgical method if it is required then spinal fusion is done. In this process, to maintain stability, a plate is attached with a screw.

2. Non-Surgical Method 

This method is widely used and are mentioned below:-

a) Medications 

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral corticosteroids and muscle relaxants are used. This helps to reduce inflammation and pain as well.

b) Physical Exercise 

It is the best option which is mostly advised by doctors to their patients. There are some particular exercises that help to overcome strained and weakened muscles. Its time duration is decided by a therapist which depends on the severity of stiffness. 

• Steroid Injection – A doctor will suggest steroid-based injection to get relief from joint pain in the neck. It also fills the space to the spinal cord.
• Soft Collar – When it is wrapped around the neck then it helps to get relief from the neck pain. Because it restricts the neck movement  and allows the muscle to rest.
• Ice or Heat Massage – It can be recommended with the combination of other therapies.