Cervical Spondylosis: Causes, Treatment & Ayurvedic Care

Just like you age, your bones do too. Cervical spondylosis is the name for your aged neck. When you age, your joints and bone in your neck, called the cervical spine, weaken mostly due to wear and tear over the years. So, it is basically osteoarthritis that affects your neck.

It causes much pain and discomfort in movement. It is commonly known as spondylosis or neck arthritis.

What Causes Cervical Spondylosis?

Most cases of this wear-and-tear can be credited to age. But there are other factors also which can cause cervical spondylosis. Let’s see what factors can contribute to cervical spondylosis.

• Injury: A trauma injury near your neck can lead to various kinds of tensions in that area. It can be a result of an immediate injury or an older injury can result in early ageing of your neck.
• Dehydration: Just like your body, your discs in between bones can get dehydrated too. This happens when the discs around your bones, that act as padding to the bone, dries out and makes movement difficult. When you move with ‘dry bones’ they get weared out easily.
• Slipped Disc: Again, due to injury or some other factor, if there is a dislocation or a fracture in the disc, it can lead to cervical spondylosis.
• Overuse: Certain jobs, like working in construction or even working at a desk job without properly exercising your neck, can put tremendous stress on your neck prompting it to degenerate early.
• Bone Growth: As your bone weakens, sometimes, your body tries to compensate that by overgrowing the bone in that area. This, although covers up for the bone degeneration, but presses against the surrounding soft tissue causing pain and stiffness.

How Can You Recognise A Cervical Spondylosis?

The main way to recognise a cervical spondylosis is through pain and difficulty in movement. Let’s see what kind of pain can indicate towards a cervical spondylosis.

• Pain in neck
• Pain in shoulder and shoulder blade
• Weakness while lifting or moving arms
• Numbness or tingling in your arms
• Increased pain while moving neck, sneezing, coughing
• Increased pain in the morning or after a long period of rest
• Headache in the back side of the head
• Uneasy movement or abnormal sound while moving neck

In very advanced cases, patients also suffer from loss of balance/coordination, loss of bladder control and muscle spasm.

How Can Ayurveda Help In Healing Cervical Spondylosis?

The way of healing in Ayurveda is simple – Panchakarma Treatment. It’s various toxins that cause damage to you physical health. Hence, all you need to do is eliminate the toxins from the body and you can have a fit and healthy body. The same theory holds in case of cervical spondylosis as well.

Let’s see the treatments available.

Nasyam

Nasyam is a treatment where medications are given to you in the form of drops in your nostrils. The medicine goes through your nose and stimulates your nerves, brain and blood circulation. Many a time, the treatment is followed by head and neck massage. It helps in curing various head and neck related diseases.

Greeva vasti

In greeva vasti, a circular enclosure in made over your neck and warm oil is poured on it. The oil contains extracts of various medicinal herbs, spices, and minerals. The warm water stays stagnant on your neck and lubricates the cervix from inside. The oil is replaced or reheated after around 10 mins. This process is repeated for 4-5 times.

Lepanam

This is one of the oldest form of effective ayurvedic treatment. Just like in greeva vasti, in lepanam, natural plant extracts and minerals are used. But instead of extracting oil, a paste is made out of the ingredients. Applying such a paste in an area with pain and swelling can subside the conditions by improving blood circulation in there.

Elakizhi

Elsakizhi uses a bolus made of various medicinal leaves. The bolus is contained in a piece cotton or khadi cloth and is warmed up. This is then pressed on the neck repeatedly. The bolus is reheated if required. This is continued for nearly an hour. This treatment is well known for it anti-ageing and rejuvenating properties. It increases muscle strength as well.

Swedanam

Swedanam, also known as, steam therapy is one of the oldest forms of traditional treatment that has been practised across the world.  On one hand, the steam makes you sweat and detoxifies you; on the other hand, the heat penetrates your muscle and increases the supply of oxygen there. Oxygen increases vitality.

Pichu

Pichu is a specialised treatment designed only for problems arising because of arthritis. This treatments works on the heath and functionality of your nerves. In pichu, an piece of cotton or cotton cloth or wool is dipped in warm, medicated oil and spread over the affected area. As the cloth cools down, it is reheated or replaced with a warm alternative.

Ayurvedic treatment gives you a holistic experience while healing your spondylosis ailments. The earlier you opt for the treatment, the faster and better the healing will be.

About The Doctor:

DR. Mahesh Kumar – BAMS

One of the Best Ayurvedic Doctors in Hyderabad and a sought-after doctor in KPHB, Dr. S. Mahesh Kumar has an experience of 8 years in this field. Dr. S. Mahesh Kumar is one of the most popular doctors at Sri Veda Sushruta Ayurveda Hospital in KPHB, Hyderabad, Karmanghat and Subedari, Warangal. With a BAMS from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India in 2009, he believes in the miracle of natural healing.

He is a member of Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI). He takes keen interest in the fields of Arthritis Management, Hair Loss Treatment, Kerala Massage,Panchakarma and Infant Massage.