Osteoarthritis of the Neck (Neck Osteoarthritis) | Cause, symptoms, prevention and treatment

Osteoarthritis of the neck means joint wear in the neck vertebrae. Osteoarthritis of the neck is also known as cervical spondylosis. The condition is primarily due to age-related wear. The diagnosis can, in many cases, be kept in check by physical treatment, exercise and exercise.

Neck osteoarthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage and bone tissue in the neck vertebrae. Exercise of the shoulders and upper back is especially important for relieving the neck muscles and joints. This in combination with physical therapy (muscular therapy and joint mobilization) has a well-documented effect on pain and impaired function due to osteoarthritis of the neck.

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In the article, we will review:

• Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the neck
• The cause of osteoarthritis of the neck
• Self-measures against neck osteoarthritis
• Prevention of neck osteoarthritis
• Treatment of osteoarthritis of the neck
• Diagnosis of osteoarthritis

In this article you will learn more about osteoarthritis of the neck and the causes, symptoms, prevention, self-measures and treatment of this clinical condition.

Also read: The 5 Stages of Kneartrose

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Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of the Neck

There are significant variations in the amount of ailments, pains and symptoms the individual has. Some live with osteoarthritis of the neck without being bothered at all, while others experience significant joint pain and neck stiffness. It is also possible that the symptoms may vary according to the stage of osteoarthritis in which the diagnosis is.

Namely, you divide osteoarthritis from stage 0 (no osteoarthritis or joint wear) to stage 4 (advanced, significant osteoarthritis and wear). The various stages give an indication of how much cartilage is broken down in the joints and how large the joint wear is. You can read more about the different stages of osteoarthritis here .

Characteristic symptoms and clinical signs on osteoarthritis can include:

• Slight swelling of the affected joints
• Local pressure relief over the joints
• Redness of the joints
• Wear of a more severe degree can cause pain on the neck
• Increase in the incidence of compensatory pain in the neck muscles and upper back

Normal movement in the neck - ie full range of motion in different directions - is essential for keeping nearby muscles and joints in good health. If you have a lack of neck movement, that is, it is difficult to turn your head or the like, then expect the body to compensate for this by tightening up nearby muscles (often called stress neck). Which results in neck pain.

A neck affected by malfunction due to osteoarthritis can also cause increased incidence of shoulder pain and pain between the shoulder blades - which could mean that you also get an increase in pain and problems in these areas in addition to the neck. A vicious circle in other words.

Why is my neck stiff and sore on the mornings or after sitting still for a long time?

When you sleep or sit still, you have less circulation of blood circulation and synovial fluid than when you are moving - that is why you are stiffer at the beginning of the morning and after you have sat still. But, as you know, you did not have this before - so it is also an indication that your neck is not in top shape in terms of mobility and general health. It is therefore relatively common to be stiff in the morning, but may indicate that you have certain problems with muscles and joints that should be investigated and treated.

Read more: - What You Should Know About Stress Neck and Tight Neck Muscles

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Osteoarthritis can lead to calcifications in the neck joints

Atherosclerosis can occur as a result of your body trying to repair your broken cartilage and worn joints. With this we refer to the fact that bone spurs actually occur in the neck vertebrae due to the calcifications that the body puts into the joint.

Such calcifications are visible on x-rays and provide a basis for saying how extensive your neck osteoarthritis is. In other words, it is a constant ongoing effort on the part of the body to repair and maintain your neck joints - but without it ever becoming clear due to the fact that joint wear is already so extensive.

Neck Headache and Cervical Dizziness

As mentioned, neck problems and neck pain due to neck osteoarthritis can result in compensatory complaints in nearby structures. What many have also come to know on the body is that it can provide the basis for a tired headache that attaches to the back of the head in the upper part of the neck, and then spreads across the temple to the forehead.

Neck pain, along with crystal sickness, is one of the most common causes of dizziness. Many people walk around with dizziness in everyday life due to tight neck muscles and stiff neck joints. Those who have had the crystal disease know how incredibly troublesome and destructive such dizziness is - and it's something we really do not want on our worst enemies. If you are bothered by regular dizziness then we can highly recommend that you think about how your neck is - if it is incredibly tight and sore then you have most likely found the cause of your dizziness. Under the assumption that other causes have been weeded out.

Read more: - How To Release Muscle Tensions In The Neck And Shoulder

Address the problem today and begin with these exercises in the article above.

Cause: Why do you get osteoarthritis in the neck?

Joint wear occurs when the loads are higher than the body's ability to relieve and repair. Ideally, one would have such strong stability muscles that they could relieve the joints from getting any wear at all - but unfortunately it is almost impossible.

This is because common joint wear changes and osteoarthritis increase with age - due to normal wear and tear in everyday life. With age, we also have a weaker ability to repair cartilage and joints. In the neck, trauma and whiplash injuries in particular are linked to higher rates of osteoarthritis.

It has been seen that these risk factors in particular give a higher chance of osteoarthritis:

• That you are a woman
• A job that involves a lot of repetitive strain
• Family history of osteoarthritis
• Higher age
• Congenital scoliosis or altered spinal curvature (due to change in biomechanical load)
• Overweight
• Trauma or rupture

Some of the most common risk factors for developing osteoarthritis of the neck include lack of stability of the neck and shoulders, family history of joint problems and previous neck injury. It has also been documented that fractures and injuries to the joints lead to previous osteoarthritis and aging.

Self-measures and Prevention of Osteoarthritis of the Neck

If you want to take an active approach to prevention and to reduce the aging process in the neck joints then this is absolutely possible. By strengthening the stability muscles in the neck and shoulders, the joints can be relieved, as well as improved blood circulation and maintenance.

In the neck, especially training of the shoulders and upper back is essential for relieving joints and intervertebral discs. By training both strength in nearby muscles, as well as regularly performing movement exercises - such as those shown below - you can maintain good blood circulation and muscular elasticity. We recommend that you try doing these, or similar, exercises several times a week.

VIDEO: Strength Exercises for the Shoulders with Elastic

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Recommended Self-Help for Rheumatic and Chronic Pain

• Compression Noise (such as compression socks that contribute to increased blood circulation to sore muscles or specially adapted compression gloves against rheumatic symptoms in the hands)

Click on the image to read more about compression gloves.

• Toe pullers (can help maintain space between the toes - and prevent bent toes)
• Mini tapes (many with rheumatic and chronic pain feel that it is easier to train with custom elastics)
• Trigger point Balls (self-help to work the muscles on a daily basis)
• Arnica cream or heat conditioner (many people report some pain relief if they use, for example, arnica cream or heat conditioner)

- Many people use arnica cream for pain due to stiff joints and sore muscles. Click on the image above to read more about how arnica cream can help relieve some of your pain situation.

Read more: - How Yoga Can Relieve Fibromyalgia And Chronic Pain

Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Neck

There are several treatments that can provide you with relief and functional improvement. Something you should start with today is daily strength and stretching exercises to maintain functionality, strengthen the neck and shoulders, and strengthen blood circulation.

Physical Treatment

Manual treatment, including joint mobilization and muscular work, has a well-documented effect on osteoarthritis and its symptoms. Physical treatment should be performed by a public health professional. In Norway, this means physiotherapist, modern chiropractor or manual therapist.

Many people are surprised that research shows that such treatment of muscles and joints is actually more effective than exercise (1) when it comes to reducing pain and providing improved function. Then think about how effective such treatment in combination with home exercises can be? Modern chiropractors treat both muscles and joints, as well as instructing in home exercises to give you long-lasting recovery. If you have extensive osteoarthritis and are struggling with traditional exercise, we also highly recommend training in hot water pool.

More movement in everyday life

Do you have a job that gives you a lot of repetition and static load? Then we strongly recommend that you be extra careful to get enough movement and blood circulation. Join a training group, go for a walk with a friend or do home exercises - the most important thing is that you do something you like and thus manage to motivate yourself to more movement in everyday life.

Also read: - 6 Early Signs of Osteoarthritis

Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis of the Neck

Osteoarthritis is often diagnosed through a combination of history-taking, clinical examination and imaging (usually X-ray). To see the extent of joint wear, you must take an X-ray - as this shows bone tissue in the very best way. Such an imaging study will be able to visualize calcifications and cartilage damage.

You may be referred to an X-ray examination by a modern chiropractor or physician. Such imaging tests should be taken by radiographers and radiologists - and not by the person you have consulted for help. If you have seen a clinician who has his own X-ray machine in the back room, it is best to go somewhere else.

You can see an example of a radiograph of the neck here:

If you are bothered with symptoms that may be reminiscent of osteoarthritis then we suggest that you bring it up with your GP for a review. Finding out the extent of osteoarthritis itself can also give a clear indication of what you should do about self-measures and prevention, as well as treatment at a publicly licensed clinic. We remind you that physical therapy in combination with exercise has a very good effect in relieving symptoms and providing you with functional improvement.

Also read: - 7 Symptoms of Fibromyalgia in Women

Summarizeringing

You can slow the development of osteoarthritis with proper measures, exercise and any treatment. We especially recommend that you start strength training for both the neck and shoulders to contribute to healthy joints and healthy muscle.

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NEXT PAGE: - The 5 Stages of Kneartrose (How Aggravated Osteoarthritis worsens)

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