What is Cervical Foraminal Stenosis?
Each neck vertebra or bone in the cervical spinal column has a foramen or tunnel on each side of it through which nerve roots exit the spinal column. Cervical foraminal stenosis refers to constriction or narrowing of one of these foramen. When a foramen becomes too narrow it can put pressure on the nerve root leading to neck pain and other symptoms.
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What is a Cervical Disc Herniation?
Discs are soft capsules or cartilaginous shock absorbers that lie between the bony vertebrae in the neck. They help to cushion the vertebrae and absorb shock caused by movement of the spine. They also make the neck more flexible. Sometimes the outer layer of a disc in the neck becomes damaged. When it does, the inner jelly-like material can leak out of the disc and put pressure on the spinal nerves. This is called a disc herniation.
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What is Cervical Myelopathy?
Myelopathy is any condition that slows down the transmission of nerve signals through the spinal cord. The cervical spine is the portion of the spinal cord that runs through the neck and carries nerve signals to and from the arms, chest and legs. In cervical myelopathy the spinal cord that passes through the cervical spine doesn’t transmit nerve signals to and from the arms, chest, legs, pelvis, and abdomen as rapidly as they should.
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What is Cervical Osteoarthritis?
Cervical osteoarthritis simply refers to arthritic changes that occur in the neck. As we age, normal wear and tear causes the vertebrae, joints and discs in the cervical spine to degenerate. Most people have some degree of cervical osteoarthritis on x-ray by the age of 60, although they may not have symptoms. Cervical osteoarthritis can occur in middle-aged people too, especially those who have a history of a neck injury or repetitive trauma to the neck.
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What is Cervical Radiculopathy?
Cervical radiculopathy is commonly referred to as a “pinched nerve.” A pinched nerve happens when a spinal nerve root in the cervical spine becomes compressed or irritated. These nerves travel from the spinal cord into the neck, shoulders, arms and hands. When these nerves are pinched or compressed, it can cause pain, numbness, weakness or tingling in these areas. The nature of the symptoms depends upon which nerve roots are affected.
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What is Cervical Spinal Stenosis?
Cervical spinal stenosis refers to narrowing of the spinal canal. The spinal canal houses the spinal cord, the long tube that contains nerves connecting the brain with the peripheral nervous system. Narrowing of the spinal canal often comes from degenerative changes in the spine associated with aging. One common cause is a bone spur that forms and extends into the spinal cord causing the channel to narrow and press on the nerves in the spinal cord.
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What is Degenerative Disc Disease?
Degenerative disc disease refers to changes that occur to spinal discs with aging. Discs in the spine are important for absorbing the shock of bending and moving. With aging, discs in the spine gradually lose water. As they do, they become less flexible and lose some of their height. They may develop small tears and may bulge out or even collapse. This causes the vertebrae in the spine to become unstable, leading to pain. Degenerative disc disease may also be associated with other problems in the spine as a part of the degenerative process. Degenerative disc disease is most common in discs in the neck and lower back.
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What is Pseudoarthrosis?
When a herniated or bulging disc in the neck is removed from the spinal column, it can be replaced with a piece of bone taken from the pelvis or a bone graft from a bone bank. This surgery is called a cervical fusion. Normally, the bone graft fuses with the vertebrae above and below it. But in some cases, this fusion doesn’t occur. This is called pseudoarthrosis, a term that describes a failed fusion after spinal fusion surgery. The lack of fusion of the bones leads to abnormal movement of the bones in the spinal column. The term pseudoarthrosis may also refer to a fracture of a bone that fails to heal or fuse together properly. Pseudoarthrosis is a common complication of cervical spinal fusion surgery.
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What is Cervical Spondylolisthesis?
Spondylolisthesis is a condition where a vertebra in the spinal column isn’t aligned properly with its neighbor. This allows it to slip back and forward with movement. This “to and fro” movement of the vertebral bone can put pressure on nerve roots and on the spinal cord leading to neck pain and other symptoms.
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