The typical human head weighs roughly 5kg or 11lbs, believe it or not. It is connected with the body by your neck, which is powered by around twenty muscles and stabilized by only seven vertebrae. Before diving deep into the matter of discussion, can you touch your chin to your chest? Can you bend your head towards your shoulder? Yeah, you are good to go!! The motions you have done effortlessly are afforded by the various joints of the cervical spine. The cervical spine is a remarkable system that
- Supports your head and neck movements
- Protects the spinal cord
- Supplies blood and supplements to the mind
- Gives the neck structure
- Allows a wide range of motion to the neck.
The C1- C7 vertebrae in the spine are separated from one another by six gel-like intervertebral discs (IVDs)in the cervical spine. They serve as the cushioning discs in the cervical spine. The major components of the intervertebral discs are as follows.
- The tough but flexible outer annulus (AF)
- The soft interior filled with a mucoprotein gel called nucleus pulposus (Np),
- The cartilaginous endplates, that anchor the discs to adjacent vertebrae
The biological functions of these discs are to provide flexibility to the spine and maintain a shock-absorbing effect within the spine. They prevent the vertebrae which are stacked one on the another from grinding together. This blog will discuss cervical degenerative disc disease, which occurs when your cervical cushioning discs begin to wear out with age.
What is a Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease?
The breakdown of the natural architecture of the cervical spine is referred to as degenerative disease of the cervical spine or cervical degenerative disc disease. Examples of cervical disc degeneration are cervical spinal stenosis, cervical disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, etc.
Reports suggest that around 25 percent of people exhibit signs of disc degeneration at one or more levels before 40. After the age of 40, it increases to 60 percent. These degenerative changes are a characteristic part of the maturing system. Cervical degenerative disc disease can occur in any of the cervical discs, with the C5-C6 level having higher risks.
Let’s now check out how the degeneration occurs.
The cervical discs in children arecomprised of 85 percent of water. With age, it gets dehydrated. Due to this process, the cushioning effect gets affected and leads to cracks and tears in the cervical spine. The body cannot repair the damage by itself due to the obstruction in the flow of blood, nutrients, and metabolites. This in turn leads to the formation of scar tissue and repeated tears or degeneration in the cervical spine.
It is to be noted that symptoms of cervical disc degeneration could also be exacerbated by motor vehicle collisions like that of a car accident . In personal injury claims involving chronic disc degeneration, it may be considered as a pre-existing condition.
Cervical disc degeneration doesn’t need to exhibit symptoms and demands treatment. The severity of the cervical degenerative disc disease depends upon the extent and severity of the degeneration and the individual’s overall health. To be more specific, when the natural aging phenomenon in the body occurs prematurely, it could be termed as cervical degenerative disc disease, or else it is a part of the normal aging process.
In some cases, this dehydration process would not exhibit any symptoms or discomfort in the individual. However, when the dehydration process occurs very rapidly and intensively, it may present pain and other difficulties and be diagnosed as cervical degenerative disc disease.
Risk Factors of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
As discussed above, cervical disc degeneration is a part of wear and tear in the human body, and everyone is disposed to this condition. However, research suggests that certain risk factors could accelerate cervical degenerative disc disease. They are
- Genetics/heredity
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Previous neck injuries
- Repetitive movements to the neck
- Overweight
- Smoking
Symptoms of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
The common symptoms associated with disc degeneration in the cervical spine are below-mentioned.
- Neck pain
- Stiffness in the neck
- Headaches
- Burning, tingling, and numbness in the neck
- Hand clumsiness or loss of fine motor function
Diagnosis of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
The primary goal in diagnosing cervical degenerative disc disease is to rule out any other damages or injuries to the cervical spine. Physical examination, parallel with a detailed discussion with the patient may help the physician understand the symptoms and pain sustained. It would help him frame the tests for secondary diagnosis involving neurological examination and imaging studies.
Neurological examination strategies for cervical degenerative disc disease may include balance assessment, motor testing of the upper and lower extremities, cranial nerve testing, gait assessment, sensation, and reflex assessment tests like Hofmann’s test, Spurling’s test, and Babinski test. Imaging studies such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scans can also assist the physician in understanding the extent and severity of degeneration. However, imaging studies need not always reflect the degeneration.
It is to be noted that there are no laboratory tests suggested to diagnose cervical disc degenerative. Specific tests may be occasionally carried out to rule out the chance of other infections.
Treatment of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
The strategy to manage cervical degenerative disc disease depends upon certain factors like the extent of degeneration, age and health of the patient, and occupational details. For minor symptoms, non-surgical treatment methodologies are adopted to address the degeneration issues. This may include the following strategies.
Ice and/or Heat Therapy
Mild pain and discomfort during the initial stages of cervical degenerative disc disease could be managed by applying an ice pack or a heated gel pack to the affected area in the neck. It may be helpful in some cases of pain alleviation, but it may not be as efficient in others.
Healthy Lifestyle
Lifestyle changes may help address the symptoms, manage the pain and avoid further degeneration of the cervical discs. Reducing weight, staying hydrated, quitting smoking, avoiding strenuous activities, and maintaining correct posture are some of the tactics advised by physicians.
Medication
Pain killers like Tylenol and ibuprofen may help the individual in pain relief. In some cases, pain relief may be very short and may require muscle relaxants, cervical epidural steroid injections, or cervical facet injections.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy may be effective in strengthening the surrounding neck muscles and improving the flexibility of the joint. The typical exercises for cervical degenerative disc disease are side bending, chin tucks etc.
Alternative Therapy
Alternative therapy for cervical degenerative disc disease includes acupuncture, Ayurveda, chiropractic care, and massage.
Yoga
Yoga reduces chronic pain and helps in decreasing the disc degeneration that occurs with age.
When the non-surgical treatment methods do not help the patient in pain relief and degeneration, the physician may advise surgical methods. Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF), Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR), and Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy are the commonly suggested surgical methods to treat cervical degenerative disc disease.
In drawing things to a close, if you are feeling pain and other symptoms that we have discussed, consult a physician without delay. Never overlook your pain and discomfort as “cold wind” or “sleeping wrong”, especially when you are in the age of wear and tear. Living with degenerative disc disease in the neck can be challenging when the symptoms are severe. It is advised to address the issue with an expert opinion. A combination of healthy lifestyle, correct posture and the best treatment strategy can help you fight with this wear and tear effectively.
Let’s stay healthy and age gracefully.