Anatom3D
ENCZDE
Download

Neck pain and cervical spondylosis

Cervicalgia et spondylosis cervicalis · Bolest krku a krční spondylóza

What it is

Neck pain is very common and usually benign; wear of the cervical discs and joints (spondylosis) is near-universal with age and only rarely presses on nerve roots (radiculopathy) or the cord (myelopathy).

Symptoms & signs

  • Stiff, aching neck
  • pain spreading to shoulder or arm; numbness
  • clumsy hands, dropping things (myelopathy)
  • unsteady walking
  • bladder problems late

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Neck pain after a fall or crash with numbness or weakness
  • call 112 / 911 now Sudden severe neck pain with headache, vomiting or double vision
  • see a doctor soon Fever with a stiff neck, or night pain with weight loss
  • see a doctor soon Clumsy hands, unsteady walking or arm weakness

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Imaging only for warning signs or nerve deficits
  • MRI if myelopathy is suspected
  • Exercise therapy trials support
  • Manipulation and mobilisation — short-term help; rare injury to neck arteries mixed evidence
  • short course of NSAIDs
  • Epidural steroid injection for arm pain mixed evidence
  • decompression surgery for progressive myelopathy
  • Long-term soft collar not confirmed in trials

Natural & lifestyle

  • Keep moving; strengthening exercises
  • breaks from screens and desk posture
  • heat
  • Yoga mixed evidence

Emerging & experimental

  • Stem-cell or platelet-rich plasma disc injections
  • motion-preserving disc replacement

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Acupuncture — small short-term benefit mixed evidence
  • Massage — short-term relief mixed evidence
  • Magnet therapy — no benefit in pain trials not confirmed in trials

ICD codes