The Harm of Cervical Spondylosis

Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
Updated on September 17, 2024
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The harm caused by cervical spondylosis is quite significant. Typically, patients with cervical spondylosis will experience pain, discomfort, or stiffness in their necks. When the vertebral artery is compressed, patients might exhibit a range of clinical symptoms, including dizziness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Furthermore, some patients may experience blurred vision, decreased hearing, numbness, weakness, and distension pain in either or both upper limbs. Some patients also suffer from symptoms like profuse sweating, loss of appetite, palpitations, instability while walking, and a sensation as if stepping on cotton, and in severe cases, they may experience abnormalities in urination and bowel movements.

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Written by Su Zhen Bo
Orthopedics
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How to determine if it is cervical spondylosis

In clinical settings, cervical spondylosis can be diagnosed by evaluating the patient's subjective symptoms, medical history, and physical examination, combined with corresponding auxiliary examinations. Patients with cervical spondylosis often have a history of long-term chronic strain or injury in the neck. Patients may experience increased muscle tone in the limbs, muscle weakness, and sensations of tingling and numbness in the upper limbs. There may also be difficulties in walking involving the lower limbs, with sensations like walking on cotton; accompanying symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, unstable blood pressure, and blurred vision. Electromyography, cervical spine X-rays, CT scans, and MRI can be taken to confirm the diagnosis. In terms of treatment, conservative treatments are primarily used in the early stages of the disease. Patients are advised to rest in bed, wear cervical collars for stabilization, and use a chin strap for traction. Acupuncture and moxibustion are used on the neck, along with enhanced functional training and the administration of neurotrophic medications.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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Is cervical spondylosis serious?

Cervical spondylosis is a relatively common clinical disease that can be divided into many types. The more common types are localized cervical spondylosis and cervical radiculopathy. Other types include spinal cervical spondylosis, vertebral artery cervical spondylosis, sympathetic cervical spondylosis, and mixed cervical spondylosis. Generally, cervical spondylosis only manifests as local pain in the cervical spine, limited neck movement, and muscle tension in the neck. Sometimes there may be radiating pain in the upper limbs. These symptoms are not particularly severe and usually do not require surgical treatment. However, more severe cases, such as severe cervical radiculopathy or spinal cervical spondylosis, compress the local nerves and spinal cord of the cervical spine, causing symptoms like weakness in the hands and feet, tightness in the lower limbs, unstable walking, poor grip strength, numbness in the limbs, difficulty walking, incontinence or urinary retention, and limb paralysis, leading to being bedridden. In these cases, cervical spondylosis is considered serious and may require surgical treatment. Like all diseases, the severity of cervical spondylosis varies and should not be generalized.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How is cervical spondylosis treated?

The treatment plan is primarily determined by the severity of the patient's cervical spondylosis. If the cervical spondylosis is very severe, for instance, if the patient suffers from leg pain, numbness, and instability while walking, and conservative treatment fails to improve these symptoms, significantly affecting the patient's normal functions, it is essential to actively conduct CT and MRI scans. If the patient has a significant disc herniation and severe spinal canal stenosis, surgical treatment becomes necessary. Typically, the surgery requires general anesthesia and is performed either from the anterior or posterior approach of the cervical spine. The procedure involves the removal of the disc and decompression of the spinal canal, followed by intervertebral bone grafting and fusion surgery.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Cervical spondylosis treatment

The treatment of cervical spondylosis firstly requires identifying the specific type of the condition, as treatment is determined based on the classification. The first type, cervical type cervical spondylosis, generally is asymptomatic, merely presenting as degeneration at the edges of the cervical spine. Even if symptoms are present, satisfactory effects can generally be obtained through conservative treatment, so cervical type cervical spondylosis does not require surgical treatment. The second type, nerve root type cervical spondylosis, is the most common type. The vast majority can be cured through conservative treatment, with approximately ninety-five percent achieving cure, leaving only about five percent who require surgery due to very clear nerve damage sites which have not improved with conservative treatment and worsened nerve compression symptoms. The third type, spinal cord type cervical spondylosis, basically requires surgical treatment, and it is better to perform the surgery sooner rather than later. The fourth type, vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, is usually treated conservatively, mainly focusing on immobilization, anti-inflammatory, and pain relief treatments, while also addressing arteriosclerosis concurrently. The fifth type, sympathetic nerve type cervical spondylosis, requires coordinated treatment with internal medicine while treating this type of cervical spondylosis. Thus, the treatment of cervical spondylosis is actually not complicated. First, ascertain which type of cervical spondylosis you have, and then, treat accordingly.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
1min 5sec home-news-image

How to alleviate cervical spondylosis?

Patients with cervical spondylosis are advised to do the following, which can help alleviate the symptoms of the condition. Patients should develop correct habits of using their necks in daily life, such as avoiding prolonged sitting with the head bowed down, and move the neck appropriately after sitting for a long time; they can also perform some medical neck exercises; additionally, it is important to use a slightly lower pillow during sleep and to keep the neck warm. These measures can help maintain the physiological curvature of the cervical spine and improve symptoms of neck discomfort. When patients with cervical spondylosis experience symptoms such as pain, they can also use anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, and apply methods like heat therapy to improve symptoms; when the symptoms are severe, it is necessary to visit the hospital for further medical consultation, to clarify the specific condition, and then receive targeted treatment.