Symptoms of cervical spondylosis

Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
Updated on November 29, 2024
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Cervical spondylosis is a very common clinical disease, which is classified into different types, each with distinct symptomatic characteristics. Let's discuss them broadly. Local type cervical spondylosis primarily manifests with local cervical pain, neck stiffness, and restricted neck movement. Cervical radiculopathy mainly features symptoms such as upper limb sensory changes, numbness, radiating pain, or weakness in the extremities. Myelopathy type cervical spondylosis presents with symptoms like weakness in the limbs, unstable walking, urinary or fecal dysfunction, or even severe symptoms like paralysis of the limbs. Sympathetic and vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis mainly have symptoms including headache, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, unclear vision, and excessive sweating, among others. There is also a special type called esophageal cervical spondylosis, where patients might experience symptoms like esophageal compression.

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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 Liu Yan Hao
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Cervical vertigo characteristics

Dizziness is a typical symptom of cervical spondylosis, usually exacerbated when the patient turns their head to one side. In a normal person, when turning the head to one side, the vertebral artery on that side might be compressed, but the opposite vertebral artery can compensate by increasing blood flow, preventing cerebral insufficiency and dizziness. Conversely, in a patient with cervical spondylosis, due to osteophyte formation or changes in the curvature of the cervical spine, the vertebral artery on one side may be compressed. When the patient turns their head to the other side, the compressed vertebral artery cannot compensate by increasing blood flow, leading to insufficient cerebral blood supply and an increase in dizziness or the onset of dizziness symptoms. This explains the characteristics and mechanism of dizziness caused by cervical spondylosis.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How to treat cervical spondylosis?

The treatment plan primarily depends on the severity of the patient's cervical spondylosis. If the cervical spondylosis is very severe and there is significant compression on the spinal nerve roots, resulting in symptoms such as pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs, numbness and swelling pain in the arms, abnormal bladder and bowel functions, and evident spinal stenosis, then it is necessary to aggressively pursue surgical treatment. This usually involves the removal of the intervertebral disc, decompression and expansion of the spinal canal, and surgical treatment with intervertebral bone grafting and internal fixation. For cases where the disc herniation is not very large and the neck pain is not very severe, conservative treatment may be chosen. This includes measures like rest and protection, local heat application, and combining therapies such as acupuncture, electrotherapy, cupping, and traction.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How to exercise for cervical spondylosis

In general, for patients with cervical spondylosis, exercises such as swimming, playing badminton, flying kites, or performing "Mi Zi" exercises can effectively strengthen the neck muscles and thereby better protect the cervical spine. These are the exercise methods for cervical spondylosis. Additionally, patients should also pay attention to rest and protection, apply local heat, and combine treatments such as acupuncture, massage, traction, electrical stimulation, and cupping. For severe pain, topical ointments that invigorate blood and remove stasis can be used, along with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs that invigorate blood and remove stasis, and drugs that nourish the nerves. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Do cervical spondylosis patients fear the cold?

Cold weather has certain effects on patients with cervical spondylosis, as cold weather can impact blood circulation, which may aggravate symptoms of neck pain and discomfort. Therefore, patients with cervical spondylosis should pay attention to protecting their neck and keeping warm during cold weather. Cervical spondylosis is primarily caused by degenerative changes in the cervical spine, chronic wear and tear, leading to neck pain, limited movement, and sensory and functional impairments. Therefore, patients with cervical spondylosis should also focus on resting, maintaining good posture, and may use heat applications, physical therapy, functional exercises for the neck, or medications to improve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.