Treatment for Cervical Arthritis
Before starting the treatment of cervical arthritis doctor may perform various tests in order to confirm whether the condition is cervical arthritis. After studying the case in detail he might suggest the specific treatment for cervical arthritis. Treatment of cervical arthritis depends upon the seriousness of the disease. Mild cases of cervical arthritis may respond to drugs, regular exercises and proper rest. A change in the pillows you sleep with or your posture may help. But for severe cases you may require other non-surgical or surgical treatments of cervical arthritis.
Remember that without a proper treatment of cervical arthritis the symptoms may decrease or become worse. Before stating with any treatment you can follow these self-care measures.
- Avoid stress to the neck area and learn to rest your neck
- Massage the muscles
- Take daily long, hot showers
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin
- A regular walk or aerobic activity
Given below are some of the treatments for cervical arthritis.
Treatment for mild cases of cervical arthritis
- Resting the neck: Wearing a cervical collar may help to limit neck motion and relieve nerve irritation.
- Doing neck exercises: Your physical therapist may prescribe exercises that may include neck strengthening, neck and shoulder stretching and aerobic exercises.
- Taking Medication: Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-narcotic pain relievers may help in relieving pain and reducing inflammation.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Severe cases of Cervical Arthritis
- Ultrasound or whirlpool treatments
- Cold compresses
- Hospitalization for a week or two with bed rest and traction on the neck completely immobilizes the cervical spine and reduces the pressure on spinal nerves.
- Acupuncture is a popular treatment used for cervical arthritis. It helps to alleviate back and neck pain. In acupuncture, tiny needles are inserted into specific points on the body. It is believed that acupuncture prompts the body to produce chemicals that help to reduce pain.
- Injection of corticosteroid medications into the joints between the vertebrae helps to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Muscle relaxants such as methocarbamol or cyclobenzaprine help in relieving severe pain especially when neck muscle spasms occur.
Surgical Treatment for Cervical Arthritis
When all other conservative treatments fail to show their result and the symptoms become more worse your doctor may recommend a surgery. The surgical procedure depends on your underlying condition, such as bone spurs or spinal stenosis. The two most common surgical options include:
- Anterior approach or Front approach: This procedure involves making an incision in the front of your neck moving aside the windpipe and swallowing tube so that the cervical spine is exposed. Then depending on the underlying problem herniated disk is removed and sometimes the gap is filled with a graft of bone or other implant. By removing two disks and the bone between them, pressure on your spinal cord can be relieved. And then the area is reconstructed with the bone from your body or any other possible way to support your head and neck.
- Posterior approach or Back approach: If several portions of the channel that houses the cord have narrowed then the bone from the back of your neck has to be removed or rearranged. Posterior approach can be done in two ways.
- Laminoplasty: This procedure involves cutting the bones in several places and rearranging them in order to make more room from spinal cord. This procedure may require more time in surgery, but it preserves stability of the cervical spine.
- Laminectomy: This procedure involves making an incision at the back of your neck and removing the back part of the bone over the spinal canal. This process may leave the neck unstable so laminoplasty is preferred to laminectomy.
In some cases, a process called fusion is also implemented which connects two or more vertebrae using wires, rods or screws. Fusion stabilizes the spine but causes stiffness and permanent loss of movement.