Cervical spine disorders are illnesses that affect the cervical spine, which is made up of the upper first seven vertebrae, encasing and shielding the spinal cord. This fragment of the spine starts from the region above the shoulder blades and ends by supporting and connecting the skull.
The cervical spine contains many different anatomic compositions, including muscles, bones, ligaments, and joints. All of these structures have nerve endings that can detect painful problems when they occur. Such nerves supply muscular control and sensations to the skull and arms while correspondingly providing our bodies with flexibility and motion. This new outlook helped shed light on exactly what signs indicated the beginning of these ailments for those with cervical spine disorders. It is now recognized that these patients feel pain, numbness, discomfort, and weakness along with neurological symptoms.
- Weakness An individual becomes weak due to the compression of nerves encompassing cervical spine disorders, thus resulting in the inability to move or use arms.
Cause
There are several conditions and syndromes that can affect the cervical spine and they all vary due to the difference in place and type of injury.
- Rheumatoid arthritis Those affected with rheumatoid arthritis in their cervical spine are known to have neurological deficits. It results in occipital pain and myelopathy.
- Occipito-cervical junction This disorder may result from rheumatoid arthritis, causing the hypermobility of the connection between the neck and head, resulting in paralysis or pain.
- Subaxial cervical spine
- Atlanto-axial joint
Age factors
- The elderly Because of such symptoms, people often mistake cervical spine disorder indicators for coronary artery disease, and although individuals of any age can develop spine threatening injuries, the people that are affected by it the most are the elderly. This is because as one ages spinal discs that absorb any type of shock wear out increasing elders' chances of developing degenerative alterations in their cervical spine.
Treatments
If one's symptoms are mild, treatments like Massage, Exercise, and Stress management will suffice in reducing pain and pressure, but those with more severe symptoms are told to undergo unique therapies based on their exact situation. These patients most likely will have their postures and spine alignment fixed, and/or treatments like electrical stimulation may be used to help in reducing pain and aid in flexibility. Medicine, epidural injections and surgeries are also implemented to treat such a disorder.