Cervical Spondylosis - Know Physiotherapy Treatment For it!

Cervical Spondylosis is an age related disorder affecting the discs and joints in your neck. In simple words, it’s the wear and tear in the neck. The overuse of the bone and cartilage in the cervical spine of your neck leads to Cervical Spondylosis. While it is mostly caused by age, it can also be caused by other factors mainly poor posture while using computers, smartphones & tablets.. Stiffness and pain are the most common problems with patients afflicted with cervical spondylosis. While in others, it might not cause problems and they can go about their daily activities.

Physiotherapeutic Approach:

One cannot reverse the wear & tear changes but its symptoms can be treated with physiotherapy. If you have persistent pain in your neck, shoulder blades or arms, Physiotherapist specialising in hands on therapy (manual therapy) can provide you effective pain relief by reducing your joint stiffness and hence improving your neck flexibility and range. This is further incorporated with strengthening of your neck & spinal muscles. This will improve your posture and prevent any relapse of the pain.

Initially, the Physiotherapist evaluates your condition - checking your neck range, joint palpation, muscle tightness, reflexes and strength. A thorough assessment and analysis provides a good understanding of your current problem and treatment is done accordingly.

Approaching your neck pain with Physiotherapist:

1. Manual Therapy: This means mobilizing your stiff joint segments using various techniques by hand or assistive tools. This is very effective in reducing pain.

2. Neck traction: Pulling your head to stretch out your spine is called neck traction. This technique is used to improve movement and ease the pain. Traction is used to open the spaces between the vertebra's gently in order to ease pressure on the distressed discs. Traction is done continuously or sporadically, with short periods of rest in between. Physiotherapist can do traction as part of manual therapy technique or can use traction machine to help with same.

3. Stretching & strengthening exercises: Before beginning these exercises, there may be application of cold or heat to the affected area followed by soft tissue release, taping, exercises, &/or electrotherapy. Stretching exercises help with improving the movement and reducing the tension / tightness in the muscles. Strengthening exercises are focused primarily on neck muscles along with postural muscles to help you sit more upright and pain-free.

4. Heat: Heat can be of much help to relax the tightened and overactive muscles. Its more effective to warm the neck using hot water bottle or heating pad or direct hot towel application followed with stretching the tightened muscle and tissues.

5. Cervical collars: Cervical collars are used to support the neck if the pain is too intense or to prevent jerks during driving or if muscles aren’t able to keep to head up due to spondylosis changes. However, the cervical collar isn’t advised to be used all the time as it increases your dependency and further weakens the muscles too. & Lastly,

6. Cervical Pillows: Cervical pillows, are made to keep your neck rested in a comfortable and neutral position while you sleep. We need Pillow that supports the curve of our neck (Lordosis) when we sleep on our back with our head rested on the pillow. On side-lying, the head needs support that it doesn’t fall downwards. This is not possible with the Cervical Pillows available with Chemists. Most people find it uncomfortable and discontinue using it in long term as it doesn't provide the required comfort as mentioned above. There are Neck pillows now available according to your body and are customized to your fit.

You can always consult us to help you purchase specialised Neck Pillows which can help you sleep better & pain-free. You can choose to live pain-free from your neck symptoms by making small changes. Start them today.