Cervical spondylosis is caused by chronic wear on the cervical spine. This includes the disks or cushions between the neck vertebrae and the joints between the bones of the cervical spine. There may be abnormal growths or “spurs” on the bones of the spine.
Symptoms
The pain may be mild, or it can be deep and so severe that you are unable to move.
You may feel the pain over the shoulder blade or it may spread to the upper arm, forearm, and rarely fingers.
The pain may get worse:
and After standing or sitting
and At night
and When you sneeze, cough, or laugh
and When you bend the neck backwards or walk more than a few yards
You may also have weakness in certain muscles. Sometimes, you may not notice it until your doctor examines you. In other cases, you will notice that you have a hard time lifting your arm, squeezing tightly with one of your hands, or other problems.
Other common symptoms are:
and Neck stiffness that gets worse over time
and Numbness or abnormal sensations in the shoulders and arms
and Headaches, especially in the back of the head
and Loss of balance-Vertigo
Using Neck Traction any Good?
Neck traction is particularly useful in conditions that involve compression of the nerve root. Cervical mechanical traction, commonly used for cervical radiculopathy, in addition to cervical joint distraction, may loosen adhesions within the dural sleeves, reduce compression and irritation of discs, and improve circulation within the epidural space. Studies regarding its efficacy are conflicting, with intermittent traction probably being more effective than static traction. Initially, a weight of 5kg is recommended, eventually increasing to 10 kg as tolerated. It can be used at home 2-3 times daily for 15 minutes at a time. It is contraindicated in patients who have myelopathy or rheumatoid arthritis with atlantoaxial subluxation.