WHAT IS CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS WITH MYELOPATHY

Cervical spondylosis with cervical myelopathy, generally known as Cervical Spondyloticmyelopathy (CSM), is a condition that arises due to the damaged and injured functions of the spinal cord initiated by degenerative fluctuations of the facet joints and discs in the cervical spine (neck).

This commonly found issue, which happens to be a neck condition, arises when the spinal cord becomes compressed or in other terms, squeezed or pressed. Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy (CSM) if formed in a degenerative way, as a person ages with time. As we age, due to the wear-and-tear changes that occur in the spine, Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy becomes a more prominent and persistent health-related problem.

We know that the spinal cord carries nerve impulses to many regions in the body. What we need to realize is that the patients with CSM can experience a wide variety of symptoms like.

• Weakness and numbness in the hands and arms,
• loss of balance,
• Loss of strength in the upper and lower limbs
• acute neck pain

This condition is the most common disorder causing dysfunction of the spinal cord (known as myelopathy) and results from compression of the spinal cord.

Most patients with this condition are over 50 years of age, but the age of onset is variable depending on the degree of congenital spinal canal narrowing.

One of the processes that leads to spinal cord compression is a result of arthritis in the neck (also called cervical spondylosis or degenerative joint disease), which is somewhat moderately understood and probably has a number of causes.

Factors That Lead To Cervical Spondylosis With Myelopathy

Factors that are considered instrumentalfor the development of cervical spondylosis with myelopathy comprises of the following:

• The usual factor is the issue of age. Changes in the intervertebral discs are dependent on the age factor. This is commonly manifested as cervical osteophytes, which are also commonly known as bone spurs, at the very margin on the vertebrae.
• Another commonly faced problem that most patients complain about is, Arthritis. Arthritis, also called as Joint inflammation, is basically inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness that can and in most cases, will eventually worsen with age. For Cervical Spondylosis with Myelopathy, Arthritis occurs in the neck thus leading to facet hypertrophy (enlargement of the facet joints)
• Solidifying and thickening of the ligaments near and around the spinal canal, mainly the ligamentum flavum, which parallels loss of disc height
• Translational mechanical shakiness resulting in subluxation (or partial dislocation) of the vertebral bodies

Ayurvedic Treatment

The majority of patients with symptoms and tests consistent with CSM are recommended to have surgery. However, Ayurveda provides non invasive, inherent procedures to bring long term relief for the compressed spine using massages, medication, exercises and life style changes.

At AVN AROGYA, there are several procedures that can be performed to help relieve pressure on the spinal cord. The procedure your doctor recommends will depend on many factors, including the symptoms you are experiencing and the levels of the spinal cord compression that are involved.