What is Cervical Spondylosis?
Cervical spondylosis is the general term for age-related wear and tear of the discs and joints of the neck (cervical spine). It is extremely common — most people over 50 show some changes on an X-ray, and many have no symptoms at all.
With time the discs lose water and height, the small facet joints develop arthritis, and bony spurs (osteophytes) form. When these changes press on a nerve root you get arm pain (cervical radiculopathy); when they press on the spinal cord itself the result is cervical myelopathy, which is more serious.
Long hours on phones and laptops with the head bent forward (“text neck”) are making neck pain common in much younger patients in Punjab.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary from mild stiffness to severe nerve pain. Common complaints are:
- Neck pain and stiffness, often worse after sitting or on waking
- Pain spreading to the shoulder blade, shoulder or down the arm
- Tingling, numbness or “pins and needles” in the arm, hand or fingers
- Weakness in the grip or arm muscles
- Headaches starting at the back of the head
- Grinding or clicking when turning the neck
Causes & Risk Factors
Cervical spondylosis is mainly a result of ageing, but several things speed it up or bring on symptoms earlier:
Posture — a forward head position while using phones, laptops or driving multiplies the load on the neck. Occupation — jobs involving overhead work, heavy lifting or vibration. Previous injury — whiplash or sports injuries. Smoking — accelerates disc degeneration. Family history also plays a role.
Treatment Options
Non-Surgical Treatment (most patients)
The great majority of patients improve without surgery. Treatment focuses on relieving pain and correcting the cause:
- Short course of anti-inflammatory medication and muscle relaxants
- Posture correction and ergonomic changes at work
- Physiotherapy: neck strengthening and stretching exercises
- A soft collar for a few days only during severe episodes
- Targeted nerve-root injections under X-ray guidance for severe arm pain
Most episodes of arm pain from a cervical disc settle within 6–12 weeks with this approach.
When is Surgery Needed?
Surgery is considered only when:
- Arm pain remains severe despite 6–12 weeks of proper conservative treatment
- There is progressive weakness in the arm or hand
- There are signs of spinal cord compression (see cervical myelopathy)
The common operations are anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and cervical disc replacement, both done through a small incision at the front of the neck. Patients are usually walking the same day and home within 1–2 days.