Let’s start with cervical spondylosis, which is defined medically as follows.
Cervical spondylosis, which refers to degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc tissue of the cervical spine and its secondary degenerative (i.e., aging) changes in the intervertebral joints involving the surrounding important tissue structures (nerve roots, spinal cord, vertebral artery, sympathetic nerves, etc.), with corresponding clinical manifestations.
Simply put, for a physician to diagnose cervical spondylosis, one of the following three conditions is required.
The cervical disc tissue and joints are altered;
This change affects the surrounding tissues;
and the presence of clinical symptoms such as neck pain.
Therefore, neck pain alone cannot be arbitrarily considered as cervical spondylosis.
I. How to self-identify true and false cervical spondylosis?
1.True cervical spondylosis
The possibility of cervical spondylosis should be considered when neck pain is accompanied by one of the following conditions
Increased arm paralysis
Extend one arm horizontally at the same height as your shoulder, and stretch your head and neck hard toward the other side. If the paralysis extending from the arm to the fingertips worsens, then cervical spondylosis is more likely.
Persistent pain
If neck pain does not change due to changes in weather, exercise, rest, etc., but persists, then this pain is likely to be caused by cervical spondylosis.
Inconvenience in the limbs
Weakness in the feet and the feeling of “stepping on cotton”, reduced dexterity of the hands, and difficulty in buttoning and pinching dishes.
2.Pseudo-cervical spondylosis
If the following conditions occur, it indicates that the neck pain is not caused by whiplash.
Pain can be solved by rest
Neck pain occurs after working on a computer for a long time, and no other symptoms are present. Leave the computer, rest for a while, and the pain is relieved, that is just a strain on the neck muscles.
It’s fine after turning your neck
The neck is sore and painful, gently turn it around, eh, no more pain. In fact, it is tired and has nothing to do with cervical spine.
Dizziness and headache
Although, cervical spondylosis can cause dizziness and headache. But neurological diseases, too, can show symptoms of dizziness and headache, so you cannot judge that it is cervical spondylosis based on this symptom alone.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that if you suspect cervical spondylosis, do not blindly go to the massage room for treatment, as incorrect techniques can easily dislocate the cervical joints. Be sure to go to an orthopedic hospital to ask a professional doctor to diagnose and give a treatment plan.
Second, how to prevent cervical spondylosis?
1.Correct bad sitting posture
Long-term bad sitting posture is most likely to cause fatigue of the cervical muscles, which will lead to cervical spondylosis over time. To prevent cervical spondylosis, the first thing to do is to start with the correct sitting posture.
2.Avoid prolonged low head or the same posture
Long-term computer or ambulatory work of the crowd, try to avoid maintaining the same posture for a long time. Half an hour to rest, far-seeing or turn the neck once, but also to relieve eye fatigue.
3, choose the right pillow
The pillow is too high or too low can cause cervical spondylosis. Different pillow heights for different sleeping positions.
Supine: the height of the head pillow on the pillow should be 8 ~ 10cm.
Side lying: the same height as the unilateral shoulder width (self-adjustment according to different body types).
4, often do cervical spine exercises
Close your eyes and breathe deeply, turn the cervical spine slowly forward, backward, left and right. Clockwise and counterclockwise directions are done 1 to 2 times. Do 3 to 5 times a day, can effectively relieve neck muscle tension and prevent cervical spondylosis.