Cervical spondylosis, or cervical osteoarthritis, is a common degenerative condition of the head, neck and spine that can be caused by ageing or injury. If left untreated, it can lead to a number of troublesome symptoms such as chronic pain, neck stiffness with a reduced range of motion. In this article, we'll discuss what causes this medical condition and how you can manage it if it arises. Read on to learn more about the causes of cervical spondylosis so you can be informed and take steps towards prevention!
How is Cervical Spondylosis Caused?
With age, the spine undergoes changes that start with normal wear and tear and then result in changes in disks between vertebrae with time that cause cervical spondylosis. Other cervical spondylosis causes include:
This condition occurs when cartilage (connective tissue) in the joints of the vertebrae in the spine starts to break down and bone tissue rubs directly against the extra bone which presses the delicate areas of the spine like the spinal cord and nerves that result in pain. These abnormal bone growths develop along the edges of vertebrae called osteophytes or bone spurs that commonly occur with age.
The spinal discs are present between the spinal bones which are thick and pad-like cushions that absorb the shock of physical activities su h as lifting or twisting. So between the disc is present a gel-like material which dries out with age that causes bones (spinal vertebrae) to rub together more resulting in pain.
Normal ageing can cause part of the spinal disk to tear and develop cracks. This condition is called herniation. The herniation allows the leakage of the internal cushioning material due to which the disk bulges out, resulting in pressure on nearby tissue or a spinal nerve in the spinal disc; thus causing pain, tingling or numbness that radiates down the arm.
If a person has an injury to the neck because of a fall or car accident, it can result in cervical spondylosis which will accelerate the ageing process.
When injury limits your movements, it can lead to stiff and restricted neck movement over time, and may cause spondylosis.
Some occupations demand repetitive movements or heavy lifting like construction work or which can put extra pressure on the spine, causing early wear and tear.
The spinal disk in the neck may slowly wear down with age, due to which, disks become thinner and soft bones will lose elasticity which will result in normal collapsing or settling of the disk.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive bone condition that causes cartilage in the joints to degenerate and wear down with time which will degenerate cartilages faster than normal ageing.