Pain in the cervical spine (neck), earlier thought to be a problem affecting only the elderly, is a lifestyle-induced pain which is commonly seen in youngsters with desk jobs or sedentary lifestyles too. The cervical spine is a complex structure of seven bones stacked on top of each other supporting a head that weighs 6 kg or more while it moves in several directions. And any pressure or age-related wear and tear on these nerves can cause pain, numbness or discomfort which can be a sign of a serious problem.

Signs & Symptoms

For most people, cervical spondylosis causes no symptoms. When the symptoms do occur, they typically include:

1. Shooting pain or numbness in the neck, arms, legs or hands
2. Stiff shoulders or neck
3. Headaches
4. Lack of coordination

Common Causes

As mentioned, age-related wear and tear is the common cause of cervical spondylosis. This can cause dehydrated disks, herniated disks, bone spurs and stiffness in spinal ligaments. Osteoarthritis and any trauma or injury caused to the neck can also cause cervical spondylosis.

Diagnosis

A physical exam usually helps to find the cause of your neck pain or other symptoms. But sometimes to learn more about what may be causing your symptoms, your doctor may order the following tests:

1. X-rays
2. CT Scans
3. MRI
4. Nerve Function Tests such as Myelogram or Electromyogram

Treatment

When your condition does cause symptoms, conservative treatments such as medications and physical therapy helps to effectively treat most cases.

Besides, at Genesis Pain Clinic, Hyderabad we also offer the following therapies to manage neck pain:

Cervical epidural block: Neck or arm pain due to cervical disc herniation can be treated with an injection of a combination of a steroid and anaesthetic. The injection is made into the epidural space, which is the space next to the covering of the spinal cord.

Cervical facet joint block: This steroid plus anaesthetic injection is made into small joints at the affected segments of the cervical spine.

Media branch block and radiofrequency ablation: This technique is used to both diagnose and treat chronic neck pain. If pain is relieved with an injection of an anaesthetic, that spot is identified for treatment. Radiofrequency ablation involves damaging the nerves with sound waves that are causing pain in the joint.