Neck Pain Treatment in Ahmedabad | Treatment for neck pain | Neck Pain Doctor in Ahmedabad
Cervical Spondylosis is an age-related degeneration (‘wear and tear’) of the vertebrae and discs in the neck. To an extent, we all develop some degeneration in the vertebrae and discs as we become older. It tends to start sometime after the age of about 30. One feature of the degeneration is that the edges of the vertebrae often develop small, rough areas of bone called osteophytes.
Also, over many years, the discs become thinner. In many people, degeneration does not cause any symptoms. For example, routine X-rays of the neck will show these features (osteophytes and disc thinning) in many people who do not have any symptoms.
However, in some people, the nearby muscles, ligaments, or nerves may become irritated or ‘pressed on’ by the degenerative changes. So, cervical spondylosis can be a cause of neck pain, particularly in older people.
Not all types of neck mean that an individual is suffering from cervical Spondylosis.
But, if not looked after and treated carefully, neck pain may take the form of cervical spondylosis.
Symptoms of CervicalSpondylosismay manifest differently in different individuals, varying from mild to severe. The most common of them being
- Neck pain
- sometimes headaches mostly in the back of the head (occiput)
- Movement of the neck makes the pain worse.
- Occasional pain in the shoulders,
- Often accompanied by neck muscle stiffness.
- Pain radiate to the upper arm, forearm or hand
- Giddiness & vertigo associated with pain and stiffness.
- Fatigue, disturbed sleep, and impaired ability to work.
- Pain in the upper arm.
Long-standing degeneration (wearing away) of the vertebrae and the intervertebral discs is the primary cause behind this disorder. Now this can be triggered due to a number of reasons such as
- Advancing age
- Repetitive neck injury
- Poor Muscle tone
- Joint Problem – Cervical Facet Arthropathy
- Ligament or muscle injury
- Disc problem – slipped disc or tear in the disc
- Occupational trauma – lifting heavy loads on head, gymnastics, working on the computer for long hours
- Occupations requiring minute concentration wherein people work with a bent neck for a long time
- Any kind of odd postures that put a strain on the neck
- Smoking
The history of your complaints and the examination findings often provide most of the details necessary to diagnose CervicalSpondylosis. However, some tests may be required to confirm the diagnosis as well as to assess the extent of damage that has already occurred. It can also be used to track the progress of the condition over a period of time.
Here are some of the tests that can be done to confirm the diagnosis
- X-ray of the Cervical spine (neck) – detects the development of spurs (bony outgrowths) on the vertebrae
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) spine – determines the extent of neural damage, if any
- EMG – Electromyogram – to detect abnormal muscle electrical activity in case of nerve affection
- X-ray or CT scan after the dye is injected into the spinal column (myelogram)
- Diagnostic block: This is considered a gold standard test for diagnostic cervical facet pain. If we suspect that pain is coming from a cervical facet joint. We put some local anaesthetic around the cervical facet joint. After injecting a local anaesthetic injection if patients have pain relief for the duration of that particular local anaesthetic. We can confirm our diagnosis of cervical facet pain. And we can consider these patients for radiofrequency ablation of the medial branch.
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