Spondylosis Specialist

What is spondylosis?

Spondylosis is a term for the abnormal wear-and-tear of your spine that occurs with age. It can affect any of the structures that make up your spine, including the:

• Vertebrae (spinal bones)
• Intervertebral discs
• Facet joints
• Cartilage 
• Ligaments

As you get older, the ligaments connecting the vertebrae might get thicker, the cartilage that protects your bones begins to wear down, and your discs dry out. These degenerative changes are all signs of spondylosis.

Spondylosis can also be a factor in the development of other spine conditions, including spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and the growth of bone spurs.

What symptoms does spondylosis cause?

Spondylosis may not cause you any problems, at least to begin with. However, if complications begin to develop, you might start to suffer from:

• Back or neck pain
• Tingling or prickling sensations
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Loss of function

Many of these symptoms are due to radiculopathy — nerve compression in your spine. The changes that take place when you have spondylosis can lead to parts of your spine pressing on or pinching the nerves where they come away from your spinal cord. The specific symptoms you experience depend on which nerves are affected.

How is spondylosis treated?

Successful treatment of spondylosis begins with a comprehensive evaluation of what’s causing your symptoms. Your provider at Capital Pain Consultants carries out a thorough physical examination and gathers information from your description of the symptoms and your medical history to form a preliminary diagnosis.

You might also need tests or scans, which could include X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI. Studying these images helps your provider see exactly where the damage is and how extensive it is.

Next, they prepare a personalized treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis. Conservative treatments like medication and physical therapy are typically successful in minimizing pain and improving function. If you’re not experiencing any improvement, you might require further interventions, such as:

• Epidural steroid injections
• Facet joint injections
• Nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Intrathecal pain pump implantation

These last options are rarely necessary for spondylosis but might be needed if your condition deteriorates and causes severe pain that no other therapies can relieve.

To arrange an assessment of your spine for spondylosis, call Capital Pain Consultants today or book an appointment online.