Cervical syndrome describes damage to the vertebrae at the top of the spine (neck), which comes with the passage of time.
Cervical syndrome is a very common condition that worsens with age. Above the 85% of people over the age of 60 years old suffers to some extent from neck problems.
As the discs in the vertebrae become dehydrated and shrink, Symptoms of osteoarthritis appear, including bone protrusions along the ends of the bones.
Cervical syndrome: Causes of neck pain and worsening
As you grow older, bones and cartilage that make up your spine and neck to grow, they start and wear out gradually. This wear causes some changes, such as:
- Dehydrated discs: The intervertebral discs act as "cushions" between the vertebrae of your spine. About their age 40 years and beyond, these disks begin to dehydrate and shrink. This, gradually allows more direct contact (and therefore wear) bone-to-bone between the vertebrae.
- Disc herniation: Age also affects the outer sheath of the intervertebral discs. Cracks begin to appear, something that leads to swelling (hernia) of the disk. This swelling often leads to pressure on the nerves in the spine and therefore to pain that extends to the arm or leg..
- Bone bumps: Disc degeneration often leads to an increase in the bones of the spine in an attempt by the body to balance the problem., further strengthening the bones of the spine. This causes bony bumps on the vertebrae, which sometimes put pressure on the local nerves.
- Tight links: The links are your bone "strings" attached to the bones. These spinal ligaments harden with age, making your neck less flexible.
Source: iatropedia.gr
