Cervical Osteoarthritis (Neck Arthritis)

Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage during a joint begins to interrupt down and not facilitates smooth movement between bones, which may eventually end in the joint becoming swollen and painful. When this condition develops within the cervical spine, it’s called cervical osteoarthritis.

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Cervical Osteoarthritis (Neck Arthritis)

Sometimes confusion is made when general terms are used interchangeably to ask cervical osteoarthritis, including cervical spondylosis, degenerative joint disease, or just neck arthritis. On this site, cervical osteoarthritis is that the term that specifically describes the degeneration of the facet joints within the cervical spine.

The facet joints, also called zygapophysial joints, are a key a part of the spine’s flexibility. Two small facet joints are located at the rear of every vertebral level (one to the proper and one to the left), enabling limited forward/backward and twisting motion. within the cervical spine, these joints are called cervical facet joints.

A facet joint is comprised of hard yet smooth cartilage on the upper and lower articulating surfaces to guard the rear a part of vertebral bones. The joint is encased during a protective capsule, and inside this capsule is synovia which provides the lubrication for smooth movements.

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When the cartilage starts to wear away, bone starts rubbing against bone, which may facilitate excessive bone growth, referred to as bone spurs (osteophytes). Bone rubbing against bone can cause inflammation and pain. Furthermore, fragments of bone and cartilage might break off and begin floating within the joint capsule’s synovia , which may cause more inflammation and discomfort.

Causes of Cervical Osteoarthritis (Cervical Osteoarthritis)

Cervical osteoarthritis becomes more common as people age, therefore the natural wear and tear sustained by the facet joints over time is taken into account to be a serious think about its development. However, the medical profession continues to review the difficulty and other factors also appear to play a task within the development of osteoarthritis, including:

Genetics. Some evidence suggests that osteoarthritis can run in families, which might indicate some people are genetically predisposed to having cartilage that breaks down sooner.

Injury. If the joint becomes injured, like a tear within the cartilage and/or protective joint capsule, the joint can become more inflamed and cartilage can affect sooner. Joint injuries can happen in various ways, like from a fall or while participating during a sport.

Occupation. Certain occupations, like jobs that involve many repetitive motions or work like construction, can put more stress on the cervical spine.

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Weight. people that are overweight tend to develop osteoarthritis sooner, including within the neck. More weight means more stress on the joints, but another possibility might be that folks with excess weight might experience more damaging inflammation.1

Currently, the medical literature has limited data on whether or not smoking contributes to osteoarthritis within the spine.2 However, smoking has been linked to increasing neck pain generally .

When Cervical Osteoarthritis Is Serious

If cervical osteoarthritis becomes advanced and bone spurs become large enough , narrowing can start to occur within the vertebral canal (spinal stenosis) and/or the intervertebral foramen (foraminal stenosis).

When these spaces start to narrow, the medulla spinalis or a spinal nerve root can become compressed. Some serious symptoms that would result include difficulty gripping objects or maybe problems with walking or coordination. If the medulla spinalis or a nerve root is compressed for long enough without seeking medical attention, permanent damage can occur.