What is cervical spondylosis Due to the degeneration and aging of the cervical spine itself or the intervertebral disc, it causes the bone and cartilage to proliferate and form bone spurs, which compress and stimulate the surrounding spinal cord, nerves and blood vessels, and some people have different symptoms such as neck, shoulder and arm pain, some people have numbness and unstable walking, some people have headache, dizziness, panic and nausea, etc. This condition is called cervical spondylosis. It mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people and has a slow and insidious onset, which is different from cervical disc herniation. What tests are needed to diagnose it? X-rays and MRI are usually done to see the location and size of the bone spur, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is used to see the degree and location of deformation and degeneration of the spinal cord under pressure. Sometimes CT is also done to understand the exact condition of the bone spur. Classification and treatment options for cervical spondylosis If it is only a stiff neck and dull pain on the inner or upper side of the scapula, oral anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs, wearing a neck brace and taking care of rest are usually sufficient. If this state develops and there is neck, shoulder and arm pain, or numbness in the hands and feet, especially movement disorders and difficulty in urination, it is necessary to go to a spinal disease specialist for consultation and treatment. In China, cervical spondylosis is generally divided into four types: nerve root type, spinal cord type, vertebral artery type, and sympathetic nerve type. Nerve root type cervical spondylosis – mainly pain in the neck, shoulder, back and upper limbs. 50% of conservative treatment works well, but the symptoms will recur. If symptoms are recurrent and prolonged, or if conservative treatment is ineffective in a few cases of severe pain, surgery is required, which includes minimally invasive discoscopic surgery and artificial disc replacement that preserves cervical motion function. Spinal cord type cervical spondylosis – with symptoms such as weakness and numbness of the limbs, inflexibility of the hands, and unstable walking, etc. If left untreated, the condition of most patients (60-80%) will get worse and worse, and the final result is paralysis; therefore, surgery is the main treatment for this type of cervical spondylosis once it is diagnosed; the lighter the condition, the earlier the surgery, the better the result. The earlier the surgery, the better the result. Depending on the condition, the surgery can be performed either anteriorly or posteriorly, and minimally invasive surgery can be chosen for short segments. Sympathetic and vertebral artery cervical spondylosis – with symptoms such as dizziness and headache, panic and chest tightness, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, etc., is generally treated by conservative treatment and minimally invasive interventional treatment (low-temperature plasma myeloplasty). These patients have a variety of subjective symptoms and are prone to recurrent attacks, which need to be treated with great care and endurance. A small number of patients with severe recurrent symptoms can be operated, and most of them can obtain miraculous results.