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Cervical Osteoarthritis
Cervical osteoarthritis, also called cervical spondylosis, is wear in the joints and discs of the neck. It appears on scans in most people past fifty, and a great many of them have no symptoms whatsoever — so a report describing degeneration is not by itself an explanation for pain. When it does cause trouble, it responds well to keeping the neck both moving and strong.
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Does this sound like you?
Most people have several of these, not all of them.
- Stiffness worst first thing in the morning, easing within the first hour
- A deep grinding ache across the base of the neck and the top of the shoulders
- Grating or clicking when turning the head
- Less range when reversing the car or checking a blind spot
- Headaches at the base of the skull after a long day
- Occasional arm symptoms, if the narrowing involves a nerve root
Why it happens
- Normal age-related change in the discs and facet joints
- An earlier neck injury, which can bring those changes on sooner
- Years of sustained loaded postures, common in trades and desk work
- Reduced neck strength and movement, which lets stiff segments stiffen further
- Genetic factors influencing how early the changes show up
What we would do about it
Roughly in this order — each step waits for the one before it.
- Joint mobilisation to restore movement in the stiff segments
- Soft tissue work and dry needling for the guarding that builds around them
- Graded strengthening — a strong neck tolerates degenerative change far better than a weak one
- Daily range of movement work, not only what happens in the clinic
- Pacing and load advice, so flare-ups get shorter and less frequent
- A clear explanation of what scan findings do and do not mean, which for many people is the most useful part
See a doctor first if
- Your pain followed a significant injury
- It is getting worse rather than settling
- It comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment.
A scan showing wear is not the end of the conversation
Degeneration on a report tells us very little about why your neck hurts. An assessment tells us which segments are actually stiff, what is compensating, and what will change it. Ask a question first, or call us on 0403 907 587.
New patient? Choose Initial Consultation. Your assessment is free, and treatment is $49 when you book your second session, otherwise $98. Offer terms
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Other neck conditions we treat
Related reading: when the narrowing starts to involve a nerve and headaches driven by the upper neck joints.
General information only, not advice about your own problem — nothing here replaces an assessment. Source: Cervical Spondylosis on Physiopedia.
