Have you been experiencing pain in your neck and shoulder area? Does it feel like your head is too heavy for your shoulders or there is an unbearable stiffness in your neck? It is highly possible that you are suffering from cervical spondylosis or cervical spine or more commonly known as neck cervical. Here’s all you need to know about this condition.
What is the cervical spine?
Health Shots reached out to Dr Sushma Singh, Consultant Physiotherapist at Masina Hospital, to understand more about this condition. She says, “Cervical spine is made up of vertebra that extends from skull to C7 vertebrae (upper torso) ligaments and muscles present in the cervical region provides the stability and allow range of motion (ROM). Any abnormalities, inflammation or any injury can lead to neck pain.”
As the pain is experienced in the first seven bones of the spine, which are present in the neck region, people tend to experience pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders instead of the whole spine. That is why it is also commonly called neck cervical.
Symptoms of cervical spine
People with cervical spine have often described the pain as a persistent, stabbing or burning pain in the neck and shoulder region. People also complain about stiffness and tightening in the cervical muscles. Dr Singh says that the two major symptoms are:
1. Stiff Neck: This kind of pain can reduce ROM and it feels like the neck is stiff or stuck.
2. Pain on movement: Pain is often felt on movement like if you move your neck forward or upward or turn it side to side.