Spondylosis

Keywords: Neck pain, Low back pain, Spinal Pain

What is Spondylosis?

It is the degeneration of the spinal cord. It occurs due to age-related wear and tear of spinal discs. When the disc and joints degenerate and the bone spurs grow on the vertebrae, these changes can affect the spinal movement and affect the nerves and other functions.

The effects of spondylosis vary—a person with Spondylosis experience frequent pain and stiffness of varied intensity.

According to the location of the involved vertebras, spondylosis is differentiated.

Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is the commonest disorder involving the spinal discs that affect a person’s neck during ageing. It happens when the discs are dehydrated, shrink including bony projection along the edges of the bones. The severity of the disease worsens with age.

The causative factors behind Cervical Spondylosis:

Due to ageing
Dehydrated discs– the intravertebral discs act as cushions in between the individual vertebrae. With ageing, it begins drying and shrinking, and it can lead to cervical spondylosis.
Herniated discs: Along with ageing, excessive strain or trauma to the spine leads to bulging discs. This creates pressure on the spinal cord and nerve root. The pain sometimes extends to various parts of the body depending on the nerve getting compressed.
Stiff ligaments: ligaments are the cord of the spine that connects the bone to bone. It can stiffen with age, resulting in pain and difficulty in spinal movements.
Bone sprue: these bone spurs pinch the spinal cord & the nerve roots, causing pain and numbness in various parts depending on the particular nerve route.

Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis:

The chief symptoms are pain and stiffness in the neck.

If the spinal cord and nerve roots become compressed. You may feel the following symptoms.

Numbness and tingling sensation in the arms, hands, legs, and feet.
Stiffness and neck pain
Weakness of extremity
Difficult in walking due to lack of coordination.
It may produce myelopathy, radiculopathy, or both.
Referred neurogenic due to compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Tenderness and limitation of neck movement

Thoracic spondylosis

It affects the middle part of the spinal cord due to degeneration of the spinal disc of thoracic vertebrae.

The causative factors behind Thoracic spondylosis

Ageing is the leading cause of thoracic spondylosis
Degeneration of intervertebral discs and joints
Genetics is another risk factor for spondylosis.
A spinal injury may cause thoracic spondylosis
Due to a combination of heavy lifting and an active lifestyle.

Symptoms of Thoracic Spondylosis:

The symptoms are common, like cervical spondylosis.

Stiffness and mild pain in the area of spondylosis.
Backache due to nerve compression.
In Mild Spondylosis, the small bone spur and bulging discs that don’t compress nerves cause back pain.
Thoracic Spondylosis can cause pain, and it radiates down into the legs.
Pain can get worse with activity and improve with rest.
You can feel tingling and numbness sensations in your leg and feel muscle weakness in your arms and legs.

Lumbar Spondylosis

Lumbar spondylosis affects the lower part of the spine & happens due to ageing and deterioration of the spinal disc of the lumbar vertebrae. With age, spinal discs lose moisture, and they shrink, dry, and bone spurs develop. Then it leads to lumbar spondylosis.

The causative factors behind Lumbar spondylosis

Ageing
Degenerative change of bones and ligaments -leading to bone spurs.
Spinal injury- due to trauma or sports injury like heavy lifting
Genetics is another risk factors.
Degeneration of the intervertebral discs and lead to disc herniation and bulging discs. It causes lumbar spondylosis.
Lifestyle: Certain habits with sitting posture etc., affect the integrity of bone- prolonged sitting is also a potential reason.

Symptoms of Lumbar Spondylosis:

Low back. Pain.
Muscles weakness
Tingling in the back, buttocks, legs, and other affected areas.
Numbness in the affected areas.
Back pain that may radiate to the extremity.
Tenderness in the area of nerve compression.
Loss of bowel and bladder control.
Excess weight and abdominal fat.

Are there any risk factors?

Certainly! There are few controllable factors that may increase the chances of getting spondylosis.

Being overweight
Living a sedentary life with a lack of exercise
Spinal injury and spinal surgery
Lifting heavyweight
Genetic factor
Smoking

So, what are the self-helps?

Sit and stand properly
Maintain a healthy body weight
Stop smoking
Exercise regularly
Eat healthy food
Yoga

How to confirm the diagnosis?

A detailed history and information on the onset, duration and aggravating factors are the first step to diagnose the case. Physical examination findings also needed.

The doctor may order you to do an X-Ray of the neck to understand any boney changes.

MRI is the most helpful investigation to understand the depth and progress of the disease clearly. It gives you a cross-section image of both bone and soft tissue. It helps to doctor to find out the pinpoint problem in spondylosis.

Role of Homoeopathy in spondylosis:

In homoeopathy, the medications are effective in controlling the disease process. The first step to the treatment is to give relief in pain and movement restriction. However, the time for improvement, treatment duration, and treatment outcome varies from individual to individual. Thus the prognosis of a patient is very much specific to his condition and can not be generalised. A few frequently prescribed homoeopathic medicines for spondylosis are Causticum, Mag Phos, Conium, Tellurium, Silicea, Cal Phos, etc.

However, we never advise anyone to experiment with homoeopathic medicine unknowingly, as self-prescription can prove harmful. Parents are not encouraged to self-prescribe any Homeopathic medications without consulting an appropriately qualified doctor from a recognised university.

So, why wait? Get a consultation with a qualified and experienced Homeopath today from the comfort of your home through Let’s Homeopathy. We will deliver the medicines to your doorstep too!