Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis isthe medical term for neck pain causedby age-related wear and teartobones and tissues.

The most common symptoms of cervical spondylosis are Twisted neck , stiffness and headaches . More rarely, it can trapnerves in the neck, leading to:

• pain radiating from the arms
• pins and needles in the arms and legs
• loss of feeling in your hands and legs
• loss of co-ordination and difficulty walking

However,many people with cervical spondylosis experience no noticeable symptoms.

For example, the discs of the spine can dry out and shrink, and the ligaments can stiffen.

In all the body's joints, there is a constant process of "wear and repair" happening, as the joints adapt to the stresses and strains of normal everyday life.

Cervical spondylosis occurs when the balance of "wear and repair" is lost, leading to pain and stiffness in the neck.

Who is affected

Cervical spondylosis is a very common condition. It's estimated that 9 out of 10 adults will have some degree of cervical spondylosis by the time they are 60 years old (but manywill not have any noticeable symptoms).

Outlook

The outlook for most cases of cervical spondylosis is generally good. Most cases respond well to treatment after a few weeks, though it can be common for symptoms to reoccur later.

In around 1 in 10 cases, a person cango on to develop long-term (chronic) neck pain.