What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?

Cervical spondylosis is a common problem, especially if you don't pay attention to the health of your cervical spine. When you are older, you are easily affected by these diseases. Common symptoms include cervical pain, stiff neck muscles, and limited mobility. Some patients may also experience symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, and deafness.

(1) Cervical type: occipital and cervical pain, limited neck movement, stiff neck muscles, and corresponding tenderness points. X-rays show that the physiological curvature of the cervical spine changes in the diseased segment.

(2) Radiculopathy: Neck pain accompanied by radiating pain in the upper limbs, which worsens when the neck is extended. The skin segment distribution area of ​​the compressed nerve root has weakened sensation, abnormal tendon reflexes, muscle atrophy, decreased muscle strength, limited neck movement, and positive traction test and head pressure test. X-ray of the cervical spine showed: vertebral hyperplasia, obvious hyperplasia of the uncovertebral joint, narrowing of the intervertebral space, and reduction of the intervertebral foramen. CT scan showed posterior vertebral vegetation and narrowing of the nerve root canal.

(3) Spinal cord type: In the early stage, the lower limbs become tight and walking is unstable, as if walking on sand. In the late stage, one leg or all four limbs become paralyzed, and there is incontinence or urinary retention. There is sensory impairment below the compressed spinal cord segment, increased muscle tone, hyperreflexia, and positive pyramidal tract signs. X-rays showed: narrow intervertebral space, severe hyperplasia of the posterior edge of the vertebral body and protrusion into the spinal canal. CT and MRI examinations showed: narrowing of the spinal canal, growth at the posterior edge of the vertebral body or bulging of the intervertebral disc compressing the spinal cord.

(4) Vertebral artery type: headache, dizziness, tinnitus, deafness, blurred vision, postural cataplexy, and symptoms worsen when the cervical spine is scoliotically bent and extended. X-rays showed: the distance between the transverse processes became smaller and the uncovertebral joints proliferated. CT examination can show that the left and right transverse foramina are asymmetric in size, with one side being relatively narrow. Vertebral artery angiography showed tortuosity, attenuation or complete obstruction of the vertebral artery.

(5) Sympathetic nervous system: weak eyelids, blurred vision, dilated pupils, sore eye sockets, tearing, headaches, migraines, dizziness, occipital and cervical pain, tachycardia or bradycardia, precordial pain, increased blood pressure, cold limbs or red and hot fingers, excessive or insufficient sweating on one side of the limbs, etc. X-rays show hyperplasia of the uncovertebral vertebra, narrowing of the intervertebral foramen, changes in the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, or varying degrees of dislocation. Vertebral artery angiography showed compression.