Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a 'wear and tear' of the vertebrae and discs in the neck.To an extent, we all develop some degeneration in the vertebrae and discs as we become older. It tends to start sometime after the age of about 30. One feature of the degeneration is that the edges of the vertebrae often develop small, rough areas of bone called osteophytes.

• Cervical spondylosis is a general term encompassing a number of degenerative conditions
• Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
• Spinal stenosis
• With or without degenerative facet joints
• With or without the formation of osteophytes
• With or without a herniated disc
• One single component as a diagnosis is rare

Degenerative Disc Disease: The process is thought to begin in the annulus fibrosis with changes to the structure and chemistry of the concentric layers Over time, these layers suffer a loss of water content and proteoglycan, which changes the disc’s mechanical properties, making it less resilient to stress and strain

Facet Joints: Changes in disc structure and function can lead
to changes in the articular facets, especially hypertrophy (overgrowth), resulting from the redirection of compressive loads from the anterior and middle columns to the posterior elements

Osteophytes: There also may be hypertrophy of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the degenerating disc; these bony overgrowths are known as osteophytes (or bone spurs)
Herniated Nucleus Pulposus

• The progressive degeneration of a disc, or traumatic event, can lead to a failure of the annulus to adequately contain the nucleus pulposus
• This is known as herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) or a herniated disc
• Varying degrees
• Disc bulge
• Mild symptoms
• Usually go away with nonoperative treatment
• Rarely an indication for surgery
• Extrusion (herniation)
• Moderate/severe symptoms
• Nonoperative treatment

Symptoms

• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Arm pain
• Dysthesias
• Anesthesias
• May resemble carpel
• tunnel syndrome, rotator
• Cuff problems, or gout

Spinal Stenosis

• Grouped as “spinal stenosis”
• Central stenosis
• Narrowing of the central part of the spinal canal
• Foraminal stenosis
• Narrowing of the foramen resulting in pressure on the exiting nerve root
• Symptoms
• Neck pain
• Pain, dysthesias, anesthesias in arms and hands
• Bilateral

Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

• The most common type of spinal cord dysfunction in patients older than 55 years
• Onset is usually insidious, with long periods of fixed disability and episodic worsening
• The first sign is commonly gait spasticity, followed by upper-extremity numbness and loss of fine motor control in the hands
• Unlike most degenerative conditions of the back and neck, conservative treatment is not indicated
• Performing surgery relatively early (within 1 year of symptom onset) is associated with a substantial improvement in neurologic prognosis
• Delay in surgical treatment can result in permanent impairment

Symptoms

• Pain in the neck, subscapular area, or shoulder
• Anesthesias or paresthesias in the upper extremities
• Sensory changes in the lower extremities
• Motor weakness in the upper or lower extremities
• Gait difficulties
• “Upper motor neuron” findings; “lower motor neuron” findings

Erectile Dysfunction

• On completion of this educational activity , participants should be better able to
• Evaluate specific needs of patients & their expectations of ED treatment
• Be able to take a sexual history
• Implement ED treatment strategies
• Significantly associated with
• Increased age
• Diabetes
• Cardivascular Disease
• Hypertension
• Depression
• Smoking

Complications

• Will make latent natural or spontaneous erections as well as other interventional treatment options impossible
• If an infection occurs, the prosthesis may have to be removed
• May cause the penis to become shorter, curved or scarred
• There may be mechanical failures of the prosthesis
• Urogenital pain (typically associated with healing process )

 Homeopathic medicines are better option of treatment of Cervical Spondylosis