Cervical Spondylosis !
Cervical spondylosis is age-related wear of the neck discs and joints; it can narrow the spaces for nerves and cause neck pain and stiffness.
Updated 2026-10-23
Structures involved
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Why it happens
- How organs age: normal changes vs disease
- Cartilage: hyaline, elastic, fibrocartilage
- Synovial joints: capsule, synovial membrane and articular cartilage
What it is
Age-related wear of the cervical discs and facet joints that can narrow the spinal canal or foramina.
Symptoms and signs
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Radicular pain or numbness into the arm
- In advanced cases, myelopathy (gait changes, hand clumsiness)
Diagnosis
- Clinical
- Exam and neurological assessment
- Imaging
- X-ray, MRI for cord/nerve compression
Treatment
- Conservative
- Physical therapy, posture work, medicines. Most patients improve without surgery.
- Surgical
- Decompression and/or fusion for progressive myelopathy or refractory radiculopathy.
Related conditions
- Spinal cord injury
- Cervical radiculopathy
- Degenerative cervical myelopathy
- Whiplash (cervical sprain)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Sources: Cervical Spondylosis (StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
