Does cervical spondylosis cause dizziness?

Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
Updated on May 17, 2025
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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.)

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
1min 31sec home-news-image

Causes of cervical spondylosis

The causes of cervical spondylosis are actually of two types. The first type is intrinsic causes, which refer to the degeneration of the cervical intervertebral disc, a physiological process. Starting from the age of 20, the cervical intervertebral disc begins to degenerate, varying from person to person; some degenerate faster, others slower. However, as one ages, the cervical discs also gradually deteriorate. The second cause is the pathological changes secondary to the degeneration of the cervical intervertebral discs. For instance, after the discs degenerate, it can lead to instability of the cervical spine, formation of osteophytes around it, calcification of ligaments, and instability of small joints, among others. Due to these reasons, it results in a series of pathological changes affecting nearby soft tissues, such as blood vessels, nerves, spinal cord, and sympathetic nerves. This is the definition of cervical spondylosis. Thus, the causes of cervical spondylosis boil down to two main points: first, the degeneration of the cervical intervertebral discs; second, due to this degeneration, it induces other pathological changes such as the formation of peripheral osteophytes, ligament calcification, joint instability, etc., ultimately compressing the surrounding soft tissues, leading to cervical spondylosis.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Treatment of Cervical Spondylosis

The treatment of cervical spondylosis includes two aspects. The first is non-surgical treatment, which mainly involves immobilization of the neck, followed by physical therapy for the neck, including massage, acupuncture, and treatments with microwaves or shock waves, as well as cervical traction. Prevention is also important, which includes correcting poor work postures and sleeping positions. If the pain is very severe, one might consider taking some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, etc. Secondly, if there is severe pain due to nerve root type or spinal cord type cervical spondylosis, and there is evident neurological dysfunction, or if the symptoms of cervical spondylosis usually do not alleviate or even worsen after systematic and conservative treatment, surgery is often required. Therefore, the treatment of cervical spondylosis generally includes both non-surgical and surgical treatments, and the specific method used depends on the condition of the disease.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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Cervical spondylosis cupping locations

We can roughly divide into two main categories. The first category is the Ashi points. What this means is using the pain point as the location for cupping. We can press the most painful part and use that as the center point for cupping; this is one method. The second method is the meridian acupoint method. We can perform a cupping treatment on the acupoints in the neck area, through which the treatment flows. For example, acupoints such as the Dazhui, Fengchi, and Fengmen in the neck area can all serve as the central points for cupping.

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Written by Su Zhen Bo
Orthopedics
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Is a "wealth bag" a cervical spondylosis?

In clinical practice, Dowager's hump and cervical spondylosis are two different conditions. A dowager's hump primarily results from long-term forward head posture, which increases the external force on the back of the cervical spine, leading to the formation of subcutaneous cysts in this area and the appearance of a dowager's hump. This condition commonly develops between the seventh cervical vertebra and the first thoracic vertebra. Patients with a dowager's hump typically experience localized swelling, pain, sourness, or even a feeling of chest tightness. Patients with cervical spondylosis primarily suffer from bone growth and degeneration in the cervical spine area, which compresses the spinal cord, nerve roots, and blood vessels, leading to symptoms of nerve compression damage. Therefore, when patients exhibit symptoms of either dowager’s hump or cervical spondylosis, it is imperative that they seek medical attention promptly. Doctors need to make a clear differential diagnosis and then proceed with symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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How to treat cervical spondylosis?

For the treatment of cervical spondylosis, it is necessary to consider various factors such as the patient's symptoms, the stage of disease progression, and imaging examinations comprehensively. Treatment for cervical spondylosis is mainly divided into non-surgical and surgical treatments. Non-surgical treatment includes cultivating good neck usage habits, avoiding prolonged sitting with the head down, and not sleeping on pillows that are too high. Performing neck exercises can also be beneficial in alleviating symptoms of cervical spondylosis. Additionally, when symptoms occur, symptomatic treatment can include the use of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, nerve-nourishing drugs, and cartilage nutrition drugs, combined with hot compresses, physical therapy, and cervical traction, which can positively improve symptoms. In cases of severe nerve or vascular compression symptoms, surgical treatment may be necessary.