What is Cervical Spondylosis?
Cervical Spondylosis is an age related condition that affects discs and joints in the cervical spine. This condition usually occurs in middle aged people and the elderly. Cervical Spondylosis is commonly known as osteoarthritis (neck arthritis) and causes distressing neck pain.
How you can get it
There are many different ways that you can easily get neck pain. Injury is the most common. If you get into a car accident, whiplash is a very common injury. Whiplash is where you get a severe jerk to the neck. It is possible for whiplash to last up to 6 months but there are many different ways to treat it without causing more pain. If you fall this could also result in neck pain. Sleeping in an uncomfortable position is very common for neck pain. There are neck pillows that you can purchase to help you sleep comfortably or it is recommended to sleep flat on your back. Bone spurs cause Cervical Spondylosis. Bone spurs is where your body grows extra pieces of bone. This bone makes your spine stronger but it also causes pain when it presses on delicate areas such as nerves. Another way of developing neck pain is overusing your shoulders. Avoid lifting heavy things and keep a balanced weight on both shoulders. Also avoid carrying around heavy shoulder bags as this weighs you down too.
Signs of Cervical Spondylosis
A stiff neck that becomes worse is usually the beginning of Cervical Spondylosis. Bad headaches usually located in the back of the neck, muscle weakness and shoulder pain are all different symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis. If you get any of these signs then it is advised that you go and see a doctor.
How to Avoid Cervical Spondylosis
It is very easy to avoid getting neck pain. The disks in your spine are mostly made up of water so it is extremely important to stay hydrated and keep them strong. Daily exercising is another way to avoid neck pain, just simple stretches is all you need. If you are working on a computer, it is important that you keep the computer at eye level to avoid neck straining, this also goes for any other device that you may be working or texting on. Maintaining a good posture is important because it allows you to do things more efficiently without causing as much strain on your neck.
How to treat Cervical Spondylosis
There are many different neck pain treatments that you can try to treat this condition but you must be careful that you do not damage your neck even more. Use a heating pad or a cooling pack, exercise regularly, sleep comfortably, use physical therapy and take prescribed medication. It is important to keep your neck moving so you can stretch it. If you seek doctors help, they may prescribe you painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, these will relive the pain. Doctors may also advise you use physical therapy as this will help stretch your shoulder and neck muscles.
