Neck Arthritis Can Cause Pain Across the Entire Body

For lots of people cervical spondylosis is a pain in the neck. It happens because the padding with the disks in the back of the cervical spine has degenerated. It is the one type of neck arthritis that is the most common cause of neck pain. It is mostly found in older people over the age of 60. In general, for people over 60 years of age, is estimated that 75% of men and women suffer from one variation of neck arthritis. This is for one due to the age of the patient but injuries that may have occurred in earlier years can also be the root of the problem.

Cervical spondylosis is also known as cervical osteoarthritis or, more commonly, neck arthritis. It is a degenerative disease that is often caused by the wear and tear of bones in the neck and a loss of cartilage that would normally act as a buffer between the vertebrae and neck. Bone spurs that break away from the bones and work their way into cartilage can also cause neck pain. An open space is created by the loss of cartilage between the vertebrae and the neck which can trap nerves as they get compressed, which causes pain in other ways.

Oftentimes pain in the neck, arms and back happens as a result of these trapped nerves and if the spinal cord is affected by neck arthritis as well, the pain can travel to the legs as well. As well as the neck pain, a patient may suffer a loss of feeling in the legs.

Non-Invasive Treatments

If a person is only at the first stage of neck arthritis, pain can be eased through the use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications but special care has to be taken to prevent damage to nerves or spinal cord. A neck brace is often used to stabilize the area around the neck and protect the patient from unexpected, sudden movements. If the condition gets worse, keeping the neck still through the use of a cervical brace may be advised and injections of cortisone into the spine could help to relieve more pain for the patient.

In cases where it cannot be treated by any of the above, time in hospital may be needed in an environment that will stop the neck from moving at all - thus preventing additional neck or spinal cord damage. In these severe cases, while hospitalized, a patient could be induced with muscle relaxers and narcotic pain relievers.

Finally, if nothing else is working, a doctor may advise surgery to try and reclaim the space between the vertebrae and neck. In cases where bone spurs have broken off and worked their way into cartilage, surgery can help remove them and relieve pain. Surgery is always a last option and should never be considered lightly.