From the Research
Definition of Spondylosis
- Spondylosis is a generalized disease process affecting the spine, characterized by degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, osteophytosis of the vertebral bodies, hypertrophy of the facets and laminal arches, and ligamentous and segmental instability 1.
- It is a chronic, noninflammatory disease caused by degeneration of the disc and/or facet joints, and can occur in the cervical or lumbar spine 2, 3.
Causes and Risk Factors
- The etiology of spondylosis is multifactorial, and it is associated with the aging process 1, 4.
- Developmental stenosis can be an enhancing factor in the presence of a small herniation or moderate degenerative stenosis 5.
Symptoms and Clinical Manifestations
- Spondylosis can produce intermittent neck or back pain, and neurologic symptoms such as radiculopathy or myelopathy can occur in some cases 1, 2, 4.
- Patients with lumbar spondylosis may complain of discomfort in the low back lesion, radiating leg pain, or neurologenic intermittent claudication (lumbar spinal stenosis) 3.
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Magnetic resonance imaging is the preferred initial diagnostic study for cervical spondylosis 2.
- Treatment for spondylosis can include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, COX-2 inhibitors, prostaglandin, epidural injection, and transforaminal injection, as well as surgical intervention in some cases 2, 3.