Cervical Arthritis Attacks Upper Spine

By Rex Magnum

Cervical arthritis first develops in the upper spine and neck. As time passes, the condition may progress by spreading down the arms. The tendency to get this type of arthritis is influenced by age, spinal injuries, and poor posture. The cervical spine is made up of seven distinct vertebral bodies separated by intervertebral discs. These discs are responsible for support the neck and giving it flexibility.

When the Cervical Vertebrae Deteriorate

Over the years, the cartilage in your neck starts to deteriorate. This deteriorated cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber in your neck, allows the space between the vertebrae to begin gradually constricting. As the spine constricts, the person develops neck pain. This is very common in people over age 50, although everyone who has cartilage deterioration will not necessarily get cervical arthritis.

Most people develop cervical arthritis because of repeated trauma placed on the neck by job duties or recreational stress or possibly an old injury. You may hardly remember that neck injury you experienced back during your high school football days, but years later it may come back to haunt you. At the time in your life when your cervical vertebrae and discs start to degenerate, that old injury may pop back up and be serious enough to provoke cervical arthritis.

People who are experiencing any of the following symptoms should have themselves checked for cervical arthritis:

Chronic neck pains
Bony ridges across the vertebrae
Limited neck movement
Weak muscles
Tender neck muscles
Stiffness in the neck
Headaches
Problems with balance

Your doctor will want to take some tests to determine if you have cervical arthritis and, if you do, how severe it is. He will order x-rays so that he can see any degeneration going on in your vertebrae. A myelogram will display the bone structure in your spine. An MRI will take clear pictures of the soft tissue in your spine. After all the tests are done, you may want to request that your results be looked at by an orthopedic surgeon, especially if you are having severe symptoms.

Cervical arthritis usually responds well to a combined treatment of drug therapy, rest, and exercise. Your doctor will recommend that you learn some new techniques in order to better rest your neck. You may also want to buy new pillows that give you more of the support you need. You will also probably benefit from a few sessions of physical therapy where you will learn gentle neck exercises and ways to improve your posture.

If your cervical arthritis becomes so severe that the treatments mentioned above are no longer helping, make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. He will know the best way to resolve your problem which at this point will most likely be through surgery.

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