# Cervical spondylosis

- Web page: https://kainezitherapy.com/en/conditions/neck/cervical-osteochondrosis/
- Body area: [Neck](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/conditions/neck.md)
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  - [TECAR therapy](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/services/physiotherapy/tecar-therapy.md): €25.00, 20 min
  - [Electrotherapy](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/services/physiotherapy/electrotherapy.md): €25.00, 15 min
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Cervical spondylosis (osteochondrosis) is wear of the neck’s discs and vertebrae. It causes stiffness, pain towards the shoulders and sometimes a numb arm.

## At a glance

- **How it feels** Stiff, painful neck, sometimes a numb arm
- **How long treatment takes** Usually 6–8 sessions, then exercises at home
- **Surgery** Rarely; only if a nerve or the spinal cord is compressed

Cervical spondylosis (osteochondrosis) is wear of the discs and vertebrae in the neck. “Osteochondrosis” is used mostly in Bulgaria; in the medical literature the same thing is usually called cervical spondylosis or degenerative disc disease. The changes show on X-rays in most people over 40, but they don’t hurt in everyone. When they do, the most common complaints are a stiff neck and pain towards the shoulders.

## Symptoms

- Stiffness in the neck, especially in the morning and after sitting for a long time.
- Dull pain in the neck, the back of the head and the shoulders.
- Clicking and grinding when you turn your head.
- Pain or numbness that runs down the arm to the fingers if a nerve is pressed (for example with a herniated disc in the neck).
- Headache that starts at the back of the head.
- Sometimes unsteadiness or dizziness when you move your head.

Dizziness has many causes and rarely comes from the neck alone. So if you feel dizzy, see a doctor first to rule out problems with the inner ear, blood pressure or the blood vessels. The symptoms usually come in periods: weeks of stronger pain, followed by months of calm.

## Why it happens

- Natural wear of the discs with age: they lose water and height.
- Years of working with the head bent forward, at a screen or a desk.
- Old neck injuries, for example whiplash from a car accident.
- Lack of movement and weak muscles in the neck and upper back.
- Parents with worn neck vertebrae.

Changes on the X-ray and pain don’t go hand in hand. Many people with marked wear have no complaints, and the pain often comes from tight muscles and stiffness around the vertebrae. That is why the treatment is aimed at them, not at the picture on the X-ray.

## How we treat it

Kaloyan starts with a detailed conversation and a look at your MRI or X-ray, if you have one. He checks how freely your neck moves, the strength and reflexes in your arms and the sensation in your fingers. The treatment follows the principles of [kinesitherapy for a herniated disc](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/services/kinesitherapy/kinesitherapy-for-disc-herniation/) (exercise and manual therapy): manual therapy for stiff vertebrae, exercises for the deep neck muscles and work on posture.

[TECAR therapy](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/services/physiotherapy/tecar-therapy/) warms tight muscles and reduces stiffness, so Kaloyan often does it before the exercises. For pain or numbness along the arm, he adds [electrotherapy](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/services/physiotherapy/electrotherapy/) to ease the pain. The course is usually 6–8 sessions, 2–3 a week. The wear doesn’t go away, but with stronger muscles and better posture most people have less pain and fewer flare-ups. After the course Kaloyan gives you a short programme to do at home, and to use again at the next flare-up. If you work at a desk, part of the session is about how to arrange your screen, chair and breaks.

## What you can do yourself

- Change position every half hour if you work at a desk.
- Raise your screen to eye level.
- Don’t crack your neck yourself with sharp twists.
- Sleep on a pillow that keeps your neck straight.
- Move every day: walking, swimming or another sport you enjoy.
- During a flare-up, heat on the neck usually eases the stiffness.

## When to see a doctor first

Some signs mean that a nerve or the spinal cord is compressed. If you have any of them, see a doctor first:

- weakness in the arm, dropping things or numbness in both arms;
- an unsteady walk, stumbling or a feeling of heavy legs;
- sudden severe dizziness, double vision or difficulty speaking;
- pain after a neck injury;
- a fever or unexplained weight loss together with the pain.

Performed by

## Kaloyan Zarkov, kinesitherapist

- Kinesitherapy degree, NSA “Vassil Levski”
- 10+ years of practice

[About us](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/about/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is cervical spondylosis (osteochondrosis)?

Wear of the discs and vertebrae in the neck. It appears in most people with age, and hurts in only some of them.

### Can cervical spondylosis cause dizziness?

Sometimes, but much more often dizziness has another cause: in the inner ear, blood pressure or the blood vessels. That is why you need to see a doctor first.

### What is the difference between cervical spondylosis and osteochondrosis?

In practice they describe the same thing: wear of the neck vertebrae and discs. Spondylosis is the term more often found in the medical literature.

### Is a herniated disc in the neck dangerous?

In most cases, no. It is serious if it presses on the spinal cord: then there is weakness, an unsteady walk or numbness in both arms, and you need a neurosurgeon.

### Does massage help with cervical spondylosis?

Massage relaxes the muscles and reduces pain for a while. For a lasting change you need exercises for the neck and posture.

## Other conditions in “Neck”

[All about neck](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/conditions/neck/)

- [Neck pain](https://kainezitherapy.com/en/conditions/neck/neck-pain/)

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