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Cervical spondylosis
How is cervical spondylosis treated?
Cervical spondylosis is a very common disease in clinical practice. Its pathological manifestations mainly include local muscle tension, spasm, and adhesion in the cervical spine, combined with disorder of the cervical facet joints, straightening or reversal of cervical curvature, and some cases may also involve protrusion of cervical vertebrae and intervertebral discs. After the onset of cervical spondylosis, it is generally recommended that patients initially undertake comprehensive conservative treatment. Conservative treatment measures include physiotherapy, oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, oral traditional Chinese medicines that activate blood circulation, reduce swelling, relieve pain, relax tendons and unblock collaterals, as well as topical plasters that have similar effects. After such comprehensive conservative treatments, symptoms of cervical spondylosis largely get alleviated. If the patient does not respond to conservative treatment and the symptoms severely affect their normal life and work, surgical treatment may then be considered.
What is cervical spondylosis and what are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
In clinical practice, cervical spondylosis refers to the condition where the cervical spine experiences growth and degeneration of bone tissues, along with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, exerting pressure and irritation on the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels. This results in a series of symptoms of nerve compression, which can be diagnosed as cervical spondylosis. After developing cervical spondylosis, a patient may exhibit increased muscle tone in the limbs and weakened muscular strength. Symptoms include numbness in the limbs, which can affect walking activities. When walking, there may be a sensation as if stepping on cotton, and pathological reflexes can appear in the lower limbs. Additionally, some patients may experience dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Diagnostic clarity can be achieved through electromyography, cervical spine X-rays, CT scans, and MRI.
How is cervical spondylosis treated?
Cervical spondylosis is very common in clinical settings. The pathological changes mainly involve local muscle tension, spasms, and adhesions in the cervical area, combined with disturbances in the small joints of the cervical spine, as well as straightening or reverse curvature of the cervical spine. Sometimes, there may also be cervical disc herniation or cervical osteophyte formation. Once these pathological changes occur, a comprehensive conservative treatment needs to be implemented. Conservative treatment measures include massage, acupuncture, moxibustion, electrotherapy, wax therapy, etc. At the same time, some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications can be taken orally. These medications can significantly alleviate pain and reduce symptoms. Additionally, some proprietary Chinese medicines that activate blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and relax tendons, as well as topical plasters with similar effects, can be taken or used. These constitute what we refer to as comprehensive conservative treatment. If the symptoms of cervical spondylosis still cannot be alleviated after these comprehensive conservative treatments and there are clear indications for surgery, surgical treatment may be necessary. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)
How to diagnose cervical spondylosis?
Cervical spondylosis is a very common clinical disease. The pathological changes mainly include local muscle tension, spasm, and adhesion in the cervical spine, accompanied by disturbances in the cervical facet joints, straightening or kyphosis of the cervical curvature, as well as herniated cervical discs, or local osteophyte formation in the cervical area. To diagnose, a comprehensive examination is generally required. Common tests include the following: firstly, taking anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of the cervical spine in both flexed and extended positions. These tests can clarify the curvature of the cervical spine, check for osteophyte formation, and assess any disturbances in the small joints of the cervical spine. If there is a need to examine the cervical spinal cord or nerve roots, a CT scan or MRI of the cervical spine is necessary. This examination can determine whether the nerves or spinal cord are compressed, and whether there are any disc herniations.
Differentiated diagnosis of cervical spondylosis
The differential diagnosis of cervical spondylosis should be described according to the four types of cervical spondylosis. First, for myelopathic cervical spondylosis, the differential diagnosis mainly includes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and syringomyelia. Second, for radicular cervical spondylosis, the differential diagnosis primarily involves distinguishing it from thoracic outlet syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, radial tunnel syndrome, and ulnar tunnel syndrome. These syndromes are all characterized by localized bony or fibrous entrapment of nerves, whereas the compressive factors in radicular cervical spondylosis include herniated cervical discs and hyperplastic uncovertebral joints. This can be confirmed through physical examination, radiological analysis, and electromyography. Third, for vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, it should be differentiated from vestibular disorders, cerebrovascular disease, and eye disorders, while also excluding Ménière's syndrome. Fourth, for sympathetic cervical spondylosis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should be excluded. X-ray imaging of the cervical spine in dynamic positions may initially reveal cervical instability.
Does cervical spondylosis hurt?
First, it needs to be affirmed that cervical spondylosis can indeed cause pain symptoms. For example, there may be pain, discomfort, or stiffness in the neck, dizziness and headaches, numbness in the bilateral or unilateral upper limbs, and feelings of weakness and distension pain. Therefore, cervical spondylosis can indeed cause pain in patients. As for the diagnosis of cervical spondylosis, it is mainly based on the clinical symptoms of the patient, along with some auxiliary examinations to make a definitive diagnosis. For instance, conducting a cervical CT or MRI can confirm the diagnosis. Then, actively carrying out symptomatic treatment is entirely possible.
Does cervical spondylosis cause dizziness?
Not all cervical spondylosis will cause dizziness. Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis can cause dizziness due to the hyperostosis of the cervical spine or changes in curvature that compress one of the vertebral arteries. When patients turn their heads to one side, the compressed vertebral artery cannot compensatory increase the blood flow, which does not lead to an increase in blood supply to the brain, resulting in insufficient cerebral blood supply and causing dizziness. A typical manifestation of these patients is that turning the head to one side intensifies the dizziness due to the reasons just mentioned, which is a typical symptom of dizziness caused by vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis. For treatment, drugs that invigorate blood circulation and improve cerebral blood supply are needed, along with cervical physiotherapy treatment. Generally, avoid sitting for too long, don’t use pillows that are too high, and pay attention to protecting your cervical spine. (Please follow professional medical advice for medication usage and do not self-medicate.)
Symptoms of cervical vertigo
Cervical spondylosis dizziness typically occurs in the case of vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, where the patient experiences episodes or exacerbation of dizziness when turning the head to one side. This is because, in vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, due to bone hyperplasia or changes in curvature of the cervical spine, one side's vertebral artery is compressed. When the patient turns their head to the other side, the healthy vertebral artery is also compressed. At this time, the vertebral artery compressed by the bone hyperplasia cannot compensatively increase the blood flow, leading to insufficient cerebral blood supply, resulting in symptoms of dizziness or worsening dizziness. This is a typical manifestation of dizziness associated with cervical spondylosis. Treatment includes the use of drugs that invigorate the blood and improve cerebral blood supply, in conjunction with cervical physiotherapy. It is important to protect your cervical spine regularly, and avoid using a pillow that is too high at night. (Please take medication under the guidance of a doctor)
Causes of cervical spondylosis
It is currently believed that the fundamental cause of cervical spondylosis is due to degenerative changes in the cervical spine caused by aging, poor life postures, and work habits. These degenerative changes lead to instability between the vertebrae, resulting in cervical disc herniation or localized bone hyperplasia. The herniated discs and bone growth compress nearby nerve roots, the spinal cord, and vertebral arteries, causing symptoms of compression in these structures and leading to cervical spondylosis. There are also some factors that trigger cervical spondylosis, with common ones being exposure to cold, excessive fatigue, and poor lifestyle and work habits. Paying attention to these factors can generally prevent the onset of cervical spondylosis.
Is cervical spondylosis nauseating?
Cervical spondylosis is a very common disease clinically and has a variety of pathological types. Generally, we classify it into several types including localized cervical spondylosis, nerve root type cervical spondylosis, spinal cord type cervical spondylosis, vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, sympathetic nerve type cervical spondylosis, mixed type cervical spondylosis, and esophageal type cervical spondylosis. One type can present symptoms such as nausea, called vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis. Due to the compression of the vertebral artery in patients, symptoms may appear such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, memory decline, and even nausea and vomiting. In such cases, we recommend patients to use medicines that relax muscles and improve microcirculation. Once the symptoms of vertebral artery compression are alleviated, symptoms such as dizziness and nausea will also be relieved. Note: Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.