How to identify advanced cervical spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is an age-related disorder and occurs due to the natural degeneration of the cervical spine. In advanced stages, it can have a crippling effect on people and if left unaddressed, may culminate in the involvement of the entire spinal cord and manifest as a paralytic condition.

Spondylosis can also cause dizziness in many patients. Also, known as cervical vertigo, the cause of dizziness is either dysfunction of position receptors (located in tiny facet joints of the cervical spine), or the rotational occlusion of the vertebral artery (vital blood vessel travelling along the cervical spine).

The symptoms include neck pain, light-headedness, nausea and numbness or tingling sensation in hands. Such symptoms are being increasingly seen in youngsters, though their condition cannot be put on the same pedestal with the disease afflicting older people. People tend to ignore the early signs and let the easily-manageable condition turn into a terrible one.

Spondylitis is normally used to describe degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the spine. It is a condition that usually happens in people above 50. But in contemporary times, cellular phones and continuous working on computers, which puts a lot of pressure on the intervertebral neck spaces, makes even youngsters predisposed to developing this condition quite early in life. More and more youngsters these days suffer from stiffness of muscle due to a bad head stance, which can easily be managed by regular neck exercises.

In winters, the condition worsens with decreased physical activities due to shorter days, less water intake, and cold weather, stiffening the neck muscles. In the beginning, this condition can easily be halted with simple neck exercises, but people usually ignore the warning signs. When the condition worsens, fomentation and medicine become necessary.

Spondylosis can be managed by regular neck exercises, medicines and fomentation. Patients with severe spondylosis are recommended to wear a collar for a few days and not let the condition deteriorate.

The author is Orthopedic Surgeon and Managing Director, Aakash Healthcare.