Some of the most common symptoms of cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical osteoarthritis include neck and shoulder pain or stiffness – that comes and goes, Headaches – often starting at the back of the neck and pain around the shoulder blade. Cervical neck pain and stiffness due to cervical spondylosis often affects the middle aged and elderly population. Physiotherapy has been shown by research1 to reduce the pain and disability associated with spondylosis.
Physiotherapy is a very important part of making your life less painful, more functional and very enjoyable. “It would also slow down the speed with which your spondylosis deteriorates,” says Dr Carol Johnson (MPT), Orthopedic Physiotherapist at ReLiva Physiotherapy in Mumbai.
A team of best physiotherapists from ReLiva Physiotherapy has compiled this post to answer some of the most common questions related to neck pain and cervical spondylosis. Send us your questions (if there are still any, after you have read this post) to contact@reliva.in and we will be happy to help.
What is causing my neck pain?
If you are in your mid age or more, then chances are that your neck pain is age related. As age advances, the structures in the neck including bones and cartilage start getting degenerated and may exhibit some of the following changes, which eventually cause neck pain and stiffness.
- Fluid loss in the discs. Discs give a cushioning effect between the two bones of your spine. By the age of 40, the discs start drying out and eventually shrink giving way to more bone on bone contact.
- Herniated discs. Age related changes often cause cracks to appear on the exterior of the spinal discs, leading to bulging or herniated disc. This compromises the spaces in the spinal canal and impinges the extinguisher nerve roots or the spinal cord itself.
- Bone spurs. Disk degeneration often results in the spine producing extra bone in a misguided effort to strengthen the spine. These bone spurs can sometimes pinch the spinal cord and nerve roots.
- Stiff ligaments. Ligaments are cords of tissue that connect bone to bone. Spinal ligaments can stiffen with age, making your neck less flexible.
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What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
Symptoms of cervical spondylosis can develop gradually or suddenly and can range from mild to severe in patients who are symptomatic.
- Pain around the shoulder blade is the most common symptom. Some complain of pain along the arm and in the fingers. The pain might increase when:
- Standing
- Sitting
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Tilting your neck backward
- Muscle weakness is another common symptom. Muscle weakness makes it hard to lift the arms or grasp objects firmly.
- Neck stiffness that gets worse
- Headaches at back of the head
- Tingling or numbness that mainly affects the shoulders and arms
Symptoms that occur less frequently often include loss of balance and a loss of bladder and bowel control. These symptoms warrant immediate medical attention.
When to see a doctor for shoulder pain?
See a doctor if you have:
- pain that’s getting much worse
- lack of co-ordination – for example trouble with tasks like buttoning a shirt
- heaviness or weakness in your arms or legs
- pins and needles in an arm as well as pain
- problems walking
- loss of bladder or bowel control
These can be signs of a more severe condition (cervical myelopathy) which can cause permanent damage to the spine, if left untreated. You may also need to take an appointment with your doctor if your pain and discomfort is affecting you daily living activities.
Is cervical spondylosis curable?
Although the condition is often the result of aging, the good news is that there are numerous ways making your life easier via the correct management of the condition. Physiotherapy has been shown by research1 to reduce the pain and disability associated with spondylosis.
How do you treat cervical pain?
The treatment options for Cervical Spondylosis include:
- Muscle relaxants and steroid injections, as prescribed by your doctor.
- Physiotherapy, to help ease pain and stiffness.
- Surgical options, for severe cases.
What is the best treatment for cervical spondylosis?
Everyone’s treatment for spondylosis will vary depending on their assessment.
Kapil Shukla came to ReLiva with a very uncomfortable pain in the neck with discomfort on both sides. He felt slight imbalance in the neck muscles. After a few physiotherapy sessions.
He says, “ReLiva doctors very smartly identified the cause of pain and targeted treatment on that. I found so much relief with the therapy and my pain and discomfort was gone. ReLiva doctors monitor your progress at every point of treatment. Secondly, they plan your treatment and let you know about the problem and how much time the treatment will take. Doctors give very useful tips for lifestyle changes that can help in the long run.” For more details on specific treatment modalities, please consult your physiotherapist or call us at +91 992099 1584 and we will connect you with a physiotherapist near you.
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What can you do to help neck pain?
- Respect your pain – rest when the pain becomes significant
- Avoid over-stressing joints with forceful or prolonged weight-bearing activities eg lifting, jogging
- Avoid jarring or sudden movements
- Lose Weight – the less you weigh the less your spine has to support
- Keep up General Exercise where pain allows eg walking, swimming, cycling
- Perform Core Stability Exercises to best support your spine and reduce your pain
What is the home remedy for cervical spondylosis?
If your condition is mild, you can try a few things at home to ease cervical pain:
- Take an OTC pain reliever.
- Use a heating pad or a cold pack on your neck to provide pain relief for sore muscles.
- Exercise regularly to help you recover faster.
- Wear a soft neck brace or soft collar to get temporary relief. However, you shouldn’t wear a neck brace or collar for long periods of time because that can make your muscles weaker.
Follow these tips until you can consult a physiotherapist, who in turn will guide you with specific exercises to relieve your pain based on your assessment.
How do exercises help spondylosis?
Exercises for people with spondylosis should always be individually prescribed. Your physiotherapist is an expert at the prescription of exercises to suit your condition. As a general rule remember if any exercise hurts then DON’T DO IT!
Specific exercises help spondylosis by:
- Maintaining or increasing joint movement
- Loosening and stretching tight muscles
- Improving joint lubrication and nutrition
- Restoring muscle strength, spinal height and control
- Improving circulation to improve your healing rate
- Improving core control, poor posture or joint position
- Maintaining your general fitness.
The correct exercises will help you to feel better and retain or improve the health of your muscles and joints.
What exercise is good for cervical spondylosis?
Everyone is different. It is best to seek the advice of your Physiotherapist to quickly solve your neck pain and stiffness that is related to arthritis.
How can physiotherapy help your spondylosis?
Physiotherapists are highly qualified in the assessment and treatment of spondylosis. Your physiotherapist will help you to:
- Quickly relieve pain
- Loosen stiff joints and muscles
- Strengthen your neck muscles to stabilise the injured/affected joints
- Improve your everyday living
Riya Mittal had been facing neck and shoulder pain for over one year. Prolonged office hours had worsened her issue and her doctor suggested her to take physiotherapy treatment. She came to ReLiva based on the online reviews on Practo. She says, “The doctors were cooperative and concerned about really treating the pain. Now my pain is 60% less than it was before. Also, I have improved on how I used to sit in office based on suggestions from Dr Surya. I also regularly practice some sitting exercises at home, that she has taught me.”
What is physiotherapy treatment for spondylosis?
Everyone’s treatment for spondylosis will vary depending on their assessment. For more details on specific treatment modalities, please contact us to help you connect with a ReLiva physiotherapist near you. Physiotherapy Management of Cervical spondylosis will be individualised, but generally includes:
- rehabilitation exercises,
- proprioceptive re-education,
- manual therapy and
- postural education
There is little evidence for using exercise alone or mobilisation and/or manipulations alone2. Mobilisation and/or manipulations in combination with exercises3 are effective for pain reduction and improvement in daily functioning in sub-acute or chronic mechanical neck pain with or without headache.
A ReLiva physiotherapist will also teach you home exercises as per your treatment plan developed based on your assessment. These will help you to maintain the relief already attained and encourage the mobility of the neural structures of the upper extremity.
What increases your risk for having cervical spondylosis?
There are certain risk factors that make one more likely to have neck pain. These include:
- Age. Cervical spondylosis is a normal part of aging.
- Occupation. Jobs that involve repetitive neck motions, awkward positioning or a lot of overhead work put extra stress on your neck.
- Neck injuries. Previous neck injuries appear to increase the risk of cervical spondylosis.
- Genetic factors. Some individuals in certain families will experience more of these changes over time, while others will not.
- Smoking. Smoking has been linked to increased neck pain.
Whatever be your case or stage of cervical spondylosis, know that you need not live suffering in pain.
Call us at +91 99209 91584 or click here to get in touch with us and we will connect you with a physiotherapist near you.
After a thorough assessment of your pain condition, they will help you with an appropriate treatment to bring down the pain and eventually make you independent to manage your condition for future.
Neck Pain Troubling you? Have Cervical Pain?
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Scientific References:
1. Cervical spondylosis and neck pain; Allan I Binder, BMJ. 2007 Mar 10; 334(7592): 527–531, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39127.608299.80, PMCID: PMC1819511, PMID: 17347239
2. Manipulation and mobilisation for mechanical neck disorders; Gross AR, Hoving JL, Haines TA, Goldsmith CH, Kay T, Aker P, Bronfort G; Cervical overview group; Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD004249.
3. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2017; 30(6), The efficacy of manual therapy and exercise for treating non-specific neck pain: A systematic review, Benjamin Hidalgo, Toby Hall, Jean Bossert, Axel Dugeny, Barbara Cagnie, and Laurent Pitance: 1149–1169. Published online 2018 Feb 6. Prepublished online 2017 Aug 2. doi: 10.3233/BMR-169615
Related Reading:
Choosing Cervical Pillow, Collar for Neck pain
Understanding Spondylosis VS Spondylitis
Arthritis – Do your Joints Pain?
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