Cervical arthritis is a medical condition in which the upper
spine of a person’s body is affected. It is also referred to as a form of
osteoarthritis in which the cartilage in joints starts wearing away due to the natural
process of ageing or because of an accident.
The disease is named cervical arthritis because cervical
vertebrae begin to degenerate in the person suffering from this condition. Due
to this change, the space in the vertebrae is narrowed down which causes
compression of the nerves in the spinal cord inside the neck. It leads to the
inflammation of the nerves producing neck pain which may sometimes move to the
arms as well.
Cervical arthritis arouses between the ages of 30 and 50 and is
normally considered to be a part of the natural aging process. People above the
age of 50 generally experience some problems leading to pain in the spinal cord
however; symptoms of cervical arthritis are noticed in few. Here is a
brief description of some of the major symptoms of cervical arthritis:
Neck Pain
The problem of cervical arthritis causes strain on the nerves
which causes pain in the neck of the person suffering from this condition.
Chronic neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of cervical arthritis. The
pain starts with mild ache through the neck which slowly increases with certain
movements like looking up or down for extensive periods of time or turning head
in a particular direction.
Neck Stiffness
Neck stiffness is a side effect of the chronic neck pain.
Cervical arthritis doesn't directly stiffen the neck, but it caused due to pain
in the neck. Some people tighten the neck muscles while the pain begins, but it
makes the muscles more stiff which limits the neck movement as well as
increases the pain.
Pain on the Arms
As the pain suffered by people suffering from cervical arthritis
is due to a strained nerve so, pain easily spreads to other parts of the body
as well. Some people feel severe pain in their arms which even limits their arm
movement. Sometimes, the agonizing pain can be felt in hands and fingers as
well.
Numbness in Neck and Hands
As the nerves are squeezed in the neck; it leads to numbness in
the neck, hands and fingers. This is one of the major symptoms of cervical
arthritis and one must consult a doctor to take proper medication for this.
Neck pain, headaches and stiffness may be caused due to varied kinds of
illnesses, but neck and hand numbness are unique symptoms of cervical
arthritis.
Headaches
Affected persons suffer from frequent headaches. It is a side
effect of the neck pain. When the pain in the neck becomes severe, the headache
is followed by the neck pain.
In case of any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should take
the consultation of a doctor. If not taken proper medication at the right
stage, cervical arthritis becomes very painful in the later stages and with the
growing age of the person.
