Cervical vertigo characteristics

Written by Liu Yan Hao

Neurology

Updated on December 01, 2024

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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 Liu Yan Hao

Neurology

1min 9sec

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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)

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Written by Na Hong Wei

Orthopedics

1min 31sec

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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

1min 42sec

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Can cervical spondylosis be cured?

Can cervical spondylosis be cured? First, it is necessary to understand what cervical spondylosis is. Cervical spondylosis refers to a series of diseases characterized by clinical symptoms due to degenerative changes in the cervical intervertebral disc and its secondary pathological changes that involve surrounding tissues, including the spinal cord, nerve roots, blood vessels, and sympathetic nerves. Therefore, the main causes of cervical spondylosis are: First, the degenerative changes of the cervical intervertebral disc, which is the degeneration of the cervical disc, begin to degenerate from the age of twenty, mainly showing a decrease in the elasticity and toughness of the annulus fibrosus and dehydration of the nucleus pulposus. This is a normal aging process of the human body and cannot be changed. Second, the degeneration of the cervical intervertebral disc causes secondary pathological changes, mainly referring to the formation of peripheral osteophytes, relaxation of the intervertebral joints, leading to joint instability, and ossification of the posterior ligament causing spinal canal stenosis. Therefore, analyzing from the cause, cervical spondylosis is a necessary process as the body ages from youth to old age, so it cannot be cured. It is only possible to slow down the aging process or, through other means, prevent the degenerative changes from causing too much compression on the surrounding tissues, leading to too many symptoms. In summary, cervical spondylosis cannot be cured.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao

Neurology

1min 6sec

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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.)

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Written by Xie Yi Song

Orthopedics

1min 55sec

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Symptoms of cervical spondylosis

Many people think that cervical spondylosis is just neck pain, but actually, after developing cervical spondylosis, there can be other symptoms. For example, the early symptoms of cervical spondylosis are generally diverse and complex. Most patients initially experience mild symptoms, which gradually worsen over time. Some patients have severe symptoms, and clinically, it is generally divided into five major types. The first type is cervical cervical spondylosis, where the main symptoms are soreness and swelling in the head, neck, shoulders, back, and arms, neck stiffness, and limited movement. The soreness in the neck and shoulders can radiate to the suboccipital area and upper limbs. The second type is vertebral artery type, where patients generally experience dizziness, a sensation that the room is spinning, and severe cases may include nausea, vomiting, and bedrest, with a few instances of vertigo and sudden collapse. The third, and most common, is spinal cervical spondylosis, where it is particularly strenuous to hold objects, which often fall to the ground, instability in walking, as well as spasms in the neck and shoulder muscles, increased muscle tone in the limbs, and even paralysis. The fourth type is radicular cervical spondylosis, with neck pain, acid swelling and distension pain in the unilateral or bilateral upper limbs, numbness, and sometimes intense pain that is unbearable. The fifth most common type is sympathetic nerve cervical spondylosis, where patients may experience blurred vision, dizziness, abnormal sweating, persistent low-grade fever, palpitations, chest tightness, rapid heartbeat, often with insomnia and frequent dreaming. The sixth type is the mixed type, which may present a combination of symptoms from the types mentioned above.