Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative clinical condition that involves changes to the bones, spinal discs and joints of the neck. Also known as cervical osteoarthritis, it is quite common in people who spend long hours on a computer, lead a sedentary life and those who have careers that require excessive stress on their neck like gymnasts and athletes.
Dr Smarajit Chakrabarty, senior consultant, Orthopaedics at Apollo Hospital says, 'We will all, at some point, end up losing cartilage from our bones. Although there is a genetic predisposition to cervical spondylosis (it runs in families), strain owing to obesity, bad posture, poor muscle tone and stress on the spinal column may put you at a greater risk of suffering from this disease.' Knowing about this condition might help in early detection and better treatment. Here are 5 common symptoms observed in most people suffering from cervical spondylosis -
Neck pain The pain in the neck at night, after standing or sitting for a long time, while sneezing, coughing or laughing and when you turn or bend your neck sideways or backwards (while driving). Some people may experience persistent pain, while others may suffer from sudden flare-ups (especially during the day and in the night).
Neck stiffness Neck stiffness is commonly seen in the morning (after a night's rest), which may become worse over time. One might also hear a grinding noise (due to loss of bone cartilage and rubbing of the joints) and inability to turn their head fully or bend their neck.
Headache It may often originate at the back of the head (just above the neck) and progress towards the top of the head (forehead).
Cervical myelopathy It occurs in case of severe cervical spondylosis that results due to spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal cord). This causes lack of muscle coordination, muscle spasms, difficulty in walking and tingling sensation in the arms, hands, legs or feet. In some extreme cases, a person may suffer from a loss of bladder control and bowel incontinence.
Cervical radiculopathy This is one of the most common symptoms of cervical spondylosis that is characterized by sharp, shooting pain down the arm. It also causes numbness in one or both arms and weakness in a part of arm or hand.
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