Cervical spondylosis is one of the cause of pain in the neck that may be referred to the shoulder. It is also referred to as neck arthritis or cervical osteoarthritis. It is regarded as a degenerative condition resulting from the wear and tear of connective tissues of the neck including the bones and the cartilage. It is estimated that at least 85% of persons aged above 60 years in Greenbelt, MD, have varying degrees of shoulder and spinal pain but the majority do not show any symptoms.
Cervical spondylosis can be treated in a number of ways. The treatments are broadly divided into conservative and invasive (or surgical options). Both options are designed to provide symptomatic relief and to prevent disease progression Physical therapy is one of the most useful conservative approaches that exist. The treatment involves the performance of passive and active physical exercises that mainly involve the stretching of neck and shoulder muscles.
There are a number of drugs that are used to provide relief for this problem. They are either used singly or combined. Examples include narcotics, anti-epileptic mediation, muscle relaxants and steroids among others. Surgery becomes an option if the medical treatments fail to yield the intended results. Surgical options are considered if the medical treatments prove ineffective. Conditions that may benefit from surgical intervention include prolapsed disks, bony spurs and abnormal anatomy of neck structures.
Another common cause of pain is a condition known as spinal stenosis. This simply refers to the narrowing of the spine in a background of arthritis. The main cause of the narrowing is the presence of bony spurs in the canal. The consequence of this is compression of the spinal cord and associated nerve roots. One will typically experience pain in the limbs associated with numbness and a tingling sensation.
A clinical history, a physical examination and several investigations are needed to make a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. X-rays are particularly useful here. They help in assessing the bony components for conditions such as fractures, bony spurs and bone infections among others. If there is a need to evaluate the soft tissues as well, other modalities such as CT scan and MRI have to be used.
Although conservative therapies often provide relief, surgery appears to be the definitive management of most cases. The objective of surgery is to enlarge the canal and to relieve the pressure on the cord and nerve roots. The general term for this procedure is spinal decompression surgery. If the vertebral body has to be removed, it will be referred to as corpectomy, if a lamina is removed it is known as laminectomy and so on.
Inter-vertebral disc prolapse is a fairly common problem that may result in pain as well. A prolapsed disc compresses nerve roots and causes symptoms along the region that supplied by affected nerve or nerves. If the disc affected is found in the cervical region, possible symptoms include a tingling sensation and numbness in the shoulder, the arm, forearm and the hand. Traction or surgery may be required.
Pain in the shoulder and neck has numerous other origins. The fortunate thing is that most are usually managed with conservative approaches without any major consequences. It is important that one consults a doctor if the symptom persist after the use of home based therapies. This will help rule out any serious underlying conditions before they advance.
Cervical spondylosis can be treated in a number of ways. The treatments are broadly divided into conservative and invasive (or surgical options). Both options are designed to provide symptomatic relief and to prevent disease progression Physical therapy is one of the most useful conservative approaches that exist. The treatment involves the performance of passive and active physical exercises that mainly involve the stretching of neck and shoulder muscles.
There are a number of drugs that are used to provide relief for this problem. They are either used singly or combined. Examples include narcotics, anti-epileptic mediation, muscle relaxants and steroids among others. Surgery becomes an option if the medical treatments fail to yield the intended results. Surgical options are considered if the medical treatments prove ineffective. Conditions that may benefit from surgical intervention include prolapsed disks, bony spurs and abnormal anatomy of neck structures.
Another common cause of pain is a condition known as spinal stenosis. This simply refers to the narrowing of the spine in a background of arthritis. The main cause of the narrowing is the presence of bony spurs in the canal. The consequence of this is compression of the spinal cord and associated nerve roots. One will typically experience pain in the limbs associated with numbness and a tingling sensation.
A clinical history, a physical examination and several investigations are needed to make a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. X-rays are particularly useful here. They help in assessing the bony components for conditions such as fractures, bony spurs and bone infections among others. If there is a need to evaluate the soft tissues as well, other modalities such as CT scan and MRI have to be used.
Although conservative therapies often provide relief, surgery appears to be the definitive management of most cases. The objective of surgery is to enlarge the canal and to relieve the pressure on the cord and nerve roots. The general term for this procedure is spinal decompression surgery. If the vertebral body has to be removed, it will be referred to as corpectomy, if a lamina is removed it is known as laminectomy and so on.
Inter-vertebral disc prolapse is a fairly common problem that may result in pain as well. A prolapsed disc compresses nerve roots and causes symptoms along the region that supplied by affected nerve or nerves. If the disc affected is found in the cervical region, possible symptoms include a tingling sensation and numbness in the shoulder, the arm, forearm and the hand. Traction or surgery may be required.
Pain in the shoulder and neck has numerous other origins. The fortunate thing is that most are usually managed with conservative approaches without any major consequences. It is important that one consults a doctor if the symptom persist after the use of home based therapies. This will help rule out any serious underlying conditions before they advance.
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