Cervical spondylosis - Diagnosis & treatment

Cervical spondylosis, also referred to as arthritis of the neck, is a general term for wear and tear that affects your cervical spine. If you’re diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, you may experience stiffness, pain, or aches in the neck. Although cervical spondylosis cannot be cured, medical professionals can prevent the symptoms from worsening. Read on to learn about the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Diagnosis

Doctors may perform certain tests to examine the severity of spondylosis. A medical professional may check your neck for lumps or knots during a physical test. He/she might examine you for:

• Flexibility of the neck

• Reflexes and muscle strength in your hands, arms, or legs

• Your walk to see if spinal compression is affecting gait or not

Imaging examinations

To get detailed pictures of your spine and to assess the health of your skeletal muscles and nerves, your physician may do the following tests.

• CT scan

• MRI

• Myelogram

• EMG (i.e., Electromyography)

• Nerve conduction study

Treatment Options

Cervical spondylosis treatment mainly depends on severity of the condition. Usually the doctor starts with non-invasive, conservative treatment. This includes few things that you can try at home:

• Physical therapy to help you recover faster.

• OTC pain relievers

• Applying ice pack or heat to your neck for 15minutes several times during the day to provide pain relief for sore muscles.

• Use of soft collar or soft neck brace to get temporary relief.

If OTC medicines don’t work then the doctor may prescribe following medications:

• Muscle relaxants to treat muscle spasms

• Anti-epileptic drugs to relieve pain caused by nerve damage

• Steroid injections to reduce tissue inflammation & lessen pain, and

• Non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation.

If your condition is severe and doesn’t respond to other forms of treatment, you might need surgery. This can involve removing bone spurs, parts of your neck bones, or herniated discs to give your spinal cord and nerves more room. Surgery is rarely necessary for cervical spondylosis. However, a doctor may recommend it if the pain is severe and it’s affecting your ability to move your arms.

Alternative medicine

Acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and reflexology may provide relief from stiffness and neck pain. After performing an X-ray of the cervical spine, a chiropractor may massage or manipulate the spine to provide relief from pain and stiffness.