Spondylosis is characterised by degeneration of the spine caused by the wear and tear process that occurs with aging.
It is not a standalone condition in itself, but rather it encompasses a range of issues associated with an aging spine, such as degeneration of the facet joints, degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae (where they lose a significant amount of their inner jelly-like liquid and may cause the spinal column to shorten as a result), as well as other spinal issues that arise due to aging.
It can affect any of the three main regions of the spine, but the most common types are lumbar spondylosis and cervical spondylosis, which affect the lumbar and cervical regions of the spine, respectively.
Causes and Risk Factors
- Degenerative disc disease, where the intervertebral disc loses some of its water content as a person ages, causing the discs to dry out and lose their cushioning features.
- Osteophytes, or bone spurs as they are more commonly known, are bony formations that can appear on the spine. They carry the risk of causing spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the spinal canal the houses the spinal cord.
- Suffering from a herniated disc, where the nucleus of a spinal disc bulges through its outer protective shell and can impinge on nearby surfaces such as nerve roots.
There are also certain risk factors associated with developing spondylosis, such as:
- The age of a person is the primary factor for being diagnosed with spondylosis. It is most common in people over 60 years of age.
- Having suffered an injury to the back or neck.
- Having a genetic predisposition.
- Being overweight.
- Working in a profession that places a high amount of stress on the spine.
Symptoms
Not all people who suffer from spondylosis present any symptoms. However, for those who do exhibit symptoms, these may vary depending on the severity of the problem, as well as the region of the spine where it occurs. For example:
- If spondylosis is present in the cervical spine, it can cause neck pain, which may only occur locally or extend to the shoulders or even arms.
- If it occurs in the thoracic or lumbar spine sections, it may lead to back pain, which may be local or radiate to other parts of the body, such as the legs.
- Pinched nerve roots may occur when a bone spur or disc impinges on their surface.
- General stiffness or weakness of the back and neck may appear, as well as tingling and numbness.
- Muscle spasms along the back.
- Some people may experience difficulties walking or keeping their balance.
- In more severe cases of this spinal issue, people may experience loss of bladder and/or bowel control.
Treatment
Spondylosis can be treated through both surgical and non-surgical approaches. In milder cases, non-surgical approaches should be considered over the former, as they do not carry the risks that surgical intervention does. Some examples of such treatments include:
- Administering steroid injections to the local region where the spine has been affected, to ease pain.
- Taking anti inflammatory medication. Pain medications, however, are only a temporary solution and one should exercise caution when taking them, as they can lead to a range of side effects that may be damaging to the person in the long run.
- Engaging in physical therapy to help regain spinal mobility.
- Using muscle relaxants to help with spasms in the back and neck.
- Using an orthopaedic spinal decompression device, such as the Backrack, to decompress the spine, relieve any pain and stiffness, lengthen the spine, and improve spinal mobility.
What is the Backrack Spinal Decompression Device?
How Spinal Decompression Helps People With Spondylosis
Spinal decompression is a treatment modality that lengthens the spine and reverses the process of spinal compression, which is a common occurrence in people suffering from spondylosis.
Degenerative changes in the spine can cause it to lose height, which can compress spinal structures such as the vertebrae, facet joints and spinal discs. When they become compressed, they no longer have sufficient space for themselves and tend to impinge onto nearing structures. In a high number of cases, they can press against spinal nerve roots and trigger pain sensations.
Decompressing the spine allows for the necessary space to be restored between these spinal structures, ensuring that each one of them has sufficient space so as to not obstruct the nerve roots.
Spinal decompression therapy comes in many forms, but the best approach is to always use the least invasive option available, which in this case would be to use an orthopaedic device like the Backrack.
The Spinal Backrack is unique in its approach to this treatment modality because of how easy, yet highly effective it is. The main mechanism behind the device is the use of wooden nodules on rows that fit perfectly between one’s vertebrae. These nodules then massage the spine as they push the vertebrae back into their original place, lengthening the spine, and relieving pain and stiffness along the back and neck.
Author: Spinal Backrack
