There are many causes of pain experienced in the shoulder and neck regions. Cervical spondylosis is among the commonest in the city of Greenbelt, MD. It is a degenerative condition whose incidence peaks after the age of 60 with statistics indicating that up to 85% of persons above this age have various degrees of shoulder and spinal pain. The underlying cause is wear and tear of connective tissues found in the neck region.
There are a number of treatments that can be considered once cervical spondylosis has been diagnosed. The objective of treatment is to provide symptomatic relief and prevents further damage of the affected structures. The options include conservative and invasive (surgical approaches). One of the most effective non-surgical approaches is physical therapy. It involves both passive and active exercises designed to stretch neck and shoulder muscles. Traction may be applied as part of this treatment.
A number of medical treatments can be used for this condition either singly or in combination. Examples include muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine), narcotics, anti-epileptic drugs and steroid injections among others. It is only when the medical treatment proves to be ineffective that surgical intervention should be considered. Surgery is indicated in cases such as bony spurs, herniated discs and abnormal vertebral bones. Fortunately, most patients tend to show improvement with conservative treatments.
Another common cause of pain is a condition known as spinal stenosis. This simply refers to the narrowing of the spine in a background of arthritis. The main cause of the narrowing is the presence of bony spurs in the canal. The consequence of this is compression of the spinal cord and associated nerve roots. One will typically experience pain in the limbs associated with numbness and a tingling sensation.
A clinical history, a physical examination and several investigations are needed to make a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. X-rays are particularly useful here. They help in assessing the bony components for conditions such as fractures, bony spurs and bone infections among others. If there is a need to evaluate the soft tissues as well, other modalities such as CT scan and MRI have to be used.
Although conservative therapies often provide relief, surgery appears to be the definitive management of most cases. The objective of surgery is to enlarge the canal and to relieve the pressure on the cord and nerve roots. The general term for this procedure is spinal decompression surgery. If the vertebral body has to be removed, it will be referred to as corpectomy, if a lamina is removed it is known as laminectomy and so on.
Inter-vertebral disc herniation may occur at any level of the spine. It is another common cause of pain. Whenever the herniation occurs, the disc exerts pressure on the nerve roots within its immediate surroundings. The person affected will experience pain and numbness in the region that is separated by the nerve affected. This may include the shoulder, arm, forearm and the hand. Treatment is either through traction or surgery.
Pain affecting the shoulder and the neck may originate from a number of areas. Fortunately, a majority of cases can be easily managed using non-surgical means without any complications. The first step is usually to start with home based treatments but one must consult with a doctor if there is no response after two to three days.
There are a number of treatments that can be considered once cervical spondylosis has been diagnosed. The objective of treatment is to provide symptomatic relief and prevents further damage of the affected structures. The options include conservative and invasive (surgical approaches). One of the most effective non-surgical approaches is physical therapy. It involves both passive and active exercises designed to stretch neck and shoulder muscles. Traction may be applied as part of this treatment.
A number of medical treatments can be used for this condition either singly or in combination. Examples include muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine), narcotics, anti-epileptic drugs and steroid injections among others. It is only when the medical treatment proves to be ineffective that surgical intervention should be considered. Surgery is indicated in cases such as bony spurs, herniated discs and abnormal vertebral bones. Fortunately, most patients tend to show improvement with conservative treatments.
Another common cause of pain is a condition known as spinal stenosis. This simply refers to the narrowing of the spine in a background of arthritis. The main cause of the narrowing is the presence of bony spurs in the canal. The consequence of this is compression of the spinal cord and associated nerve roots. One will typically experience pain in the limbs associated with numbness and a tingling sensation.
A clinical history, a physical examination and several investigations are needed to make a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. X-rays are particularly useful here. They help in assessing the bony components for conditions such as fractures, bony spurs and bone infections among others. If there is a need to evaluate the soft tissues as well, other modalities such as CT scan and MRI have to be used.
Although conservative therapies often provide relief, surgery appears to be the definitive management of most cases. The objective of surgery is to enlarge the canal and to relieve the pressure on the cord and nerve roots. The general term for this procedure is spinal decompression surgery. If the vertebral body has to be removed, it will be referred to as corpectomy, if a lamina is removed it is known as laminectomy and so on.
Inter-vertebral disc herniation may occur at any level of the spine. It is another common cause of pain. Whenever the herniation occurs, the disc exerts pressure on the nerve roots within its immediate surroundings. The person affected will experience pain and numbness in the region that is separated by the nerve affected. This may include the shoulder, arm, forearm and the hand. Treatment is either through traction or surgery.
Pain affecting the shoulder and the neck may originate from a number of areas. Fortunately, a majority of cases can be easily managed using non-surgical means without any complications. The first step is usually to start with home based treatments but one must consult with a doctor if there is no response after two to three days.
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