Spondylosis Conditions

Spondylosis is a descriptive term that refers to degeneration of the spine and can be located at any of the following location:

• Neck – called cervical spondylosis
• Lower back – called lumbar spondylosis
• Middle back – called thoracic spondylosis
• Lumbar and the sacral spine - called lumbosacral spondylosis

It means stiffening or fixation of the bony building blocks of the spine (vertebrae) as the result of a disease process.

SPONDYLOSIS CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

• Wear & tear of bones due to aging
• Weakening of the intervertebral discs can lead to herniation and bulging of discs
• Genetic
• Injury
• Onset between 20 to 50 years of age

SPONDYLOSIS SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

• Pain due to nerve compression (pinched nerves)
• Local inflammation
• Chronic pain
• Splinting of the affected area of the spine
• Regional tenderness
• Muscle spasm
• Pain worsen on prolonged standing, sitting, and forward bending
• Pain gets better with changing positions frequently and walking
• Referred pain to the limbs
• Numbness and tingling
• Weakness of an affected extremity

SPONDYLOSIS DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis of spondylosis requires thorough history analysis and physical examination of the patient along with following diagnostic tests:

• X-rays
• MRI
• CT scans

Authored by Dr. Shyam Sundar K