Spondylosis

Spondylosis
Spondylosis
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 M47
ICD-9 721
OMIM 184300
DiseasesDB 12323
MedlinePlus 000436
eMedicine neuro/564
MeSH D013128

Spondylosis is a term referring to degenerative osteoarthritis of the joints between the centra of the spinal vertebrae and/or neural foraminae. If this condition occurs in the zygapophysial joints, it can be considered facet syndrome. If severe, it may cause pressure on nerve roots with subsequent sensory and/or motor disturbances, such as pain, paresthesia, or muscle weakness in the limbs.

When the space between two adjacent vertebrae narrows, compression of a nerve root emerging from the spinal cord may result in radiculopathy (sensory and motor disturbances, such as severe pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, back, and/or leg, accompanied by muscle weakness). Less commonly, direct pressure on the spinal cord (typically in the cervical spine) may result in myelopathy, characterized by global weakness, gait dysfunction, loss of balance, and loss of bowel and/or bladder control. The patient may experience a phenomenon of shocks (paresthesia) in hands and legs because of nerve compression and lack of blood flow. If vertebrae of the neck are involved it is labelled cervical spondylosis. Lower back spondylosis is labeled lumbar spondylosis.

Contents

Causes

  • Repetitive strain injury caused due to lifestyle without ergonomic care, e.g., while working in front of computers, driving, traveling etc. Simple reasons like "using a blunt knife for everyday chopping of vegetables" could cause RSI.
  • Others

Diagnosis

Treatment

Treatment is usually conservative in nature; the most commonly used treatments are chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and other manual medicine practices. Patient education on lifestyle modifications and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown to manage such conditions. Alternative therapies such as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), massage, trigger-point therapy, chiropractic, osteopathic care, yoga and acupuncture may be utilized to control pain and maintain musculoskeletal function in some people. Surgery is occasionally performed.

Many of the treatments for cervical spondylosis have not been subjected to rigorous, controlled trials. Surgery is advocated for cervical radiculopathy in patients who have intractable pain, progressive symptoms, or weakness that fails to improve with conservative therapy. Surgical indications for cervical spondylosis with myelopathy (CSM) remain somewhat controversial, but "most clinicians recommend operative therapy over conservative therapy for moderate-to-severe myelopathy." (Baron, M.E.)

Physical therapy and chiropractic care may be effective for restoring range of motion, flexibility, and core strengthening. Decompressive therapies (i.e. manual mobilization, mechanical traction) may also help alleviate pain. However, physical therapy and chiropractic cannot "cure" the degeneration, and some people view that strong compliance with postural modification is necessary to realize maximum benefit from decompression, adjustments, and flexibility rehabilitation.

It is often argued, however, that the cause of spondylosis is simply old age, and that posture modification treatment is often practiced by those who have a financial interest (such as Worker's Compensation) [1] in proving that it is caused by work conditions and poor physical habits. Understanding anatomy is the key to conservative management of spondylosis.

Surgery

Many surgical procedures have been developed to alleviate the signs and symptoms associated with spondylosis. The vertebral column can be approached by the surgeon from the front, side, or rear. Osteophytes and sometimes portions of an intervertebral disc are commonly removed in an effort to relieve pressure on adjacent nerve roots and/or the spinal cord.

Complications

A major problem related to this disease is vertebrobasilar insufficiency. This is a result of the vertebral artery becoming occluded as it passes up in the transverse foramen. The spinal joints become stiff in cervical spondylosis. Thus the chondrocytes which maintain the disc become deprived of nutrition and die. The weakened disc bulges and grows out as a result of incoming osteophytes. A ‘drop attack’ in older people is a sign of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, which is the cause of 25% of the strokes and TIA’s in the USA.

See also

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • spondylosis — from Gk. spondylos, variant of sphondylos “vertebra” + OSIS (Cf. osis) …   Etymology dictionary

  • spondylosis — /spon dl oh sis/, n. Pathol. immobility and fusion of vertebral joints. [1895 1900; < Gk spóndyl(os) vertebra + OSIS] * * * ▪ pathology       noninflammatory degenerative disease of the spine (vertebral column) resulting in abnormal bone… …   Universalium

  • spondylosis — Ankylosis of the vertebra; often applied nonspecifically to any lesion of the spine of a degenerative nature. [G. spondylos, vertebra] cervical s. s. affecting the cervical vertebrae, intervertebral discs, and surrounding soft tissue.… …   Medical dictionary

  • spondylosis — n. a spinal condition resulting from degeneration and flattening of the intervertebral discs in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar regions. Symptoms include pain and restriction of movement, and in advanced cases tingling, numbness, and weakness… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • Spondylosis deformans — Klassifikation nach ICD 10 M47. Spondylose …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • spondylosis uncovertebralis — cervical spondylosis affecting the uncinate process of a vertebra …   Medical dictionary

  • spondylosis — noun A degenerative disease in which the vertebral joints of the spine become stiff and then fused …   Wiktionary

  • spondylosis — [ˌspɒndɪ ləʊsɪs] noun Medicine a painful condition of the spine resulting from the degeneration of the intervertebral discs. Origin early 20th cent.: from Gk spondulos vertebra + osis …   English new terms dictionary

  • spondylosis — spon•dy•lo•sis [[t]ˌspɒn dlˈoʊ sɪs[/t]] n. pat immobility and fusion of vertebral joints • Etymology: 1895–1900; < Gk spóndyl(os) vertebra + osis …   From formal English to slang

  • spondylosis — /spon dl oh sis/, n. Pathol. immobility and fusion of vertebral joints. [1895 1900; < Gk spóndyl(os) vertebra + OSIS] …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”