Cervical spine spurs: Causes, symptoms, complications and treatment
Cervical spondylosis causes pain, limits daily activities and work of the patient, and is also the culprit causing a series of dangerous complications.
Cervical spondylosis is a bone and joint disease that often occurs when the bones, joints, and spine degenerate. This is the result of calcium deposition and precipitation in the spinal column and ligaments. This condition, if prolonged, will form deformed bone spurs that protrude from the spine, causing pain and discomfort for the patient.
1. Cervical spine spurs are often caused by aging of bones and joints.
In the early stages, the symptoms of the disease are not too obvious, so they do not greatly affect the patient's life and health.
Normally, cervical spondylosis often occurs due to aging of bones and joints. Therefore, people at high risk of the disease, especially those aged 55 and over.
However, in modern society, many people have unscientific lifestyles, unreasonable living and working regimes, so the disease tends to be younger in age.
2. Symptoms of cervical spine spurs
The cervical spine is the area where many important nerves and blood vessels in the body are concentrated. In particular, the cervical vertebrae are the position that must simultaneously bear the impact force of the head weight and the compression force of the neck - shoulders - arms every time we perform movements of rotating and twisting the neck - shoulders.
Over time, as bones and joints age, this location often has the most severe damage. This is the reason why most cases of cervical spine spurs fall in the C5C6 region.
The basic symptom of cervical spondylosis is severe pain in the area near the nape of the neck that gradually spreads down to the shoulder blades, possibly down to part of the lumbar vertebrae. The pain becomes more intense when the patient tilts the neck up or down.
In addition to pain, the patient also experiences the following symptoms:
- Numbness in hands and feet.
- My arm is itchy.
- Quadriplegia.
- Spinal cord diseases.
3. Dangerous complications of cervical spine spurs
If the disease is not detected and treated, it can cause many complications. Below are 5 complications of cervical spondylosis that you need to know:
- Herniated disc:Herniation occurring at the same time as cervical spine spurs will cause the patient to suffer double the pain, even causing complete loss of mobility, with a high rate of disability.
- Sciatica:The pain usually begins in the back and may then increase and spread to the buttocks, hamstrings, and down the legs. In severe cases, the disease causes numbness, sensory disturbances, loss of control of bowel movements, and eventually paralysis.
- Intercostal neuralgia:The pain appears in long waves, running along the intercostal nerve. Signs may include: Pain from the chest, sternum to the spine, the pain intensity increases when changing position, sneezing and coughing.
- Cervical spine spurs cause paralysis:This condition occurs when the nerves are paralyzed by the compression of the cervical spines. At this point, the damage to the spinal cord begins to become severe, causing the loss of the ability to transmit and receive signals. As a result, some of the organs that this spinal cord segment controls will be controlled and paralyzed.
4. Treatment of cervical spine spurs
When you have cervical spine spurs, you need to see a doctor and follow the instructions. Doctors may prescribe pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the pain in the cervical spine.
In cases of spinal cord compression, narrowing of the spinal canal or compression of the nervous system, doctors will consider surgery.
In addition, patients should rest and avoid heavy work that puts pressure on the painful areas. Physical therapy, rehabilitation, acupressure massage, salt stone sauna, and moxibustion help relax and reduce pain.
In short:Cervical spondylosis is a natural aging process, so there is no treatment that can reverse this principle. Therefore, the earlier the cervical spondylosis is detected, the higher the chance of cure. People over 30 years old should regularly check their spine to detect the disease early if any. For effective treatment, patients need to closely follow the treatment regimen of a specialist. In addition, it is necessary to change living habits, regularly exercise according to physical condition, have a reasonable diet to support the disc to recover quickly.
