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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.

Related reading: when the narrowing starts to involve a nerve and headaches driven by the upper neck joints.

What causes it

  • 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 you might notice

  • 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

How we treat 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

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment. If your pain followed a significant injury, is getting worse, or comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss, please see your GP.

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.

Book a neck assessment Ask a question first

Or call us on 0403 907 587 — we see patients across Seaton.

Other neck conditions we treat

Cervical Radiculopathy Whiplash Cervicogenic Headache Wry Neck Postural Neck Pain

Back to all neck conditions