The term spondylosis is most often used to describe osteoarthritis of the spine, but it can also describe any manner of spinal degeneration. Shrewsbury spondylosis is more of a descriptive term than a clinical diagnosis; it is a general term for age-related wear and tears affecting the spinal discs. Degeneration of discs can occur anywhere along the spine, including the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine but the neck and back regions are the most commonly affected.
Causes and risk factors of spondylosis
Spondylosis is an inevitable aging phenomenon. Over time, the structures that make up the spine wear and tear. For example, the discs that act like cushions between the vertebrae of the spine dry out. Usually, the discs are hydrated, but by age 40, most people’s spinal disks dry out and shrink. When the discs are dehydrated, they provide less cushion, allowing bone-to-bone contact within the vertebrae. Consequently, the vertebrae wear out, and the body produces bone spurs in a misguided effort to strengthen the spine. These little bone growths are called bone spurs; they can sometimes pinch or compress the spinal nerves.
While almost everyone that lives long enough will have some spine degeneration, others may develop it earlier in life. For example, you are likely to develop spondylosis if you have several family members with the same problem. Previous spinal injury also elevates your risk of spondylosis; discs can herniate with a single excessive strain. Your risk of spondylosis is also higher if you have a job that involves repetitive neck motions or awkward positioning. Smoking also causes degeneration; the nicotine in cigarettes narrows blood vessels, limiting nutrients and oxygen supply to the spinal discs.
Symptoms of spondylosis
Many people diagnosed with cervical or lumbar spondylosis have no symptoms. 27%-30% of people with lumbar spondylosis do not have symptoms. However, spondylosis may cause neck and back pain in cases of nerve compression. If you have pinched nerves in the neck, you may experience pain in the neck and shoulders. The pain may radiate to our arms, and you may also experience numbness and weakness. Nerve compression is caused by herniated discs and bone spurs on facet joints, which narrow the exit of nerve roots. Even bulged discs not large enough to directly pinch a nerve can cause local inflammation since the spinal nerves become more sensitive.
Imaging tests like X-rays can help find characteristics of spondylosis. These findings include bone spur formation at the upper and lower portions of the vertebrae, calcium deposition on the vertebrae, and decreased disc space.
The symptoms of spondylosis depend on the location of degeneration along the spine. For example, cervical spondylosis can cause headache and neck pain, while lumbar spondylosis may cause back pain. It is still unclear whether small bone spurs and bulging discs that don’t compress nerves cause back pain. This is because most middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with spondylosis are entirely pain-free. Therefore, other factors are more likely to contribute to back pain. In severe cases of spondylosis, patients may have bladder or bowel control loss.
If you have further questions about spondylosis, consult your doctor at the Center for the Functional Restoration of the Spine.
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