English
The most common myth about neck arthritis (aka degenerative arthritis or “spondylosis”) is that it occurs because you get older. This is 100% false. If it was true, then 100% of all people would have equal amounts of arthritis in their neck as they get older. Also, arthritis would be present everywhere through their neck.
However, if you’ve ever had an x-ray, CT, or MRI that showed you have beck arthritis, you’ve likely been told that the arthritis is most pronounced in a specific area or level of the spine. Now, unless that particular bone magically happens to be much older than all your other bones, simple age-related changes do not make sense,
Instead, it suggests that there is another cause for neck arthritis … and thus a potential solution to help manage the pain or other health problems associated with it.
Neck Arthritis is not just about Pain
A recent study looked at people with degenerative neck arthritis to find out what other types of medical conditions they may have. What they found was that people with neck arthritis had an increased association with also have the following conditions:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Depression
- High Blood Pressure
- Hypothyroidism
The researchers found in this study that the worse the patient’s overall condition was, the worse their degree of neck arthritis also was not able to. While they did not go so far as to conclude that neck arthritis causes any of these conditions (or visa versa), they do note that there seems to be some type of association between the two and that the underlying pathological conditions in the body that may cause one may contribute towards the other.
The Cure for Neck Arthritis?
Alas, there is no cure for neck arthritis. Not unless you have a cure for gravity, time, and physical daily stress. As long as we live on Planet Earth, once arthritis sets in - like mechanical rust on a machine - it is something that we need to manage.
That said, there are plenty of things that can be done even if you do have neck arthritis to ensure that it does not deteriorate near as fast. And simply because you may have neck arthritis does not guarantee that you need to have pain or other symptoms either!
The #1 most important thing that you can do if you have neck arthritis is, as much as you are able to do, KEEP MOVING YOUR NECK. No, you don’t want to cause pain for the sake of pain. However, you must continue to move your neck as much as you are able because if you do not the rust will progress, and then the whole thing will have a greater chance to lock up, which will in turn cause even greater problems.
The #2 most important thing is to make sure that your neck is moving correctly. One of the major problems that can affect the way that your neck moves and which may actually contribute towards the development of neck arthritis in the first place are a physical injury or misalignment of the joints in your neck. If the joints even jam and lock in a way where your own body is not able to fix the problem on its own, things may heal the wrong way.
And while exercises and stretches are very important, if things are locked at just the wrong angle, it may take a little more precision in order to unlock things again. Most of the time, even with neck arthritis, it is still possible to improve the movement through the joints in your neck, which can help take the pressure off of the nerve receptors, increase your overall neck movement, and also reduce pain and other symptoms.
One of the most precise methods of healthcare that can help people with neck arthritis is also one that so very few people have heard about known as Blair upper cervical care. Blair upper cervical care focuses on the alignment and health of the vertebrae in your neck by using a series of precise physical, neurological and diagnostic imaging tests in order to determine the exact location, direction, and degree of misalignment in your neck so that a precise correction can be made without twisting or cracking the neck.
Especially when you may have neck arthritis, spinal manipulation or “neck cracking” may not be a good idea. But when you have the information that an upper cervical practitioner determines, it is possible to restore the normal movement through the neck with a precise and gentle approach.
Neck Arthritis Brisbane
We believe in the innate potential for every human being to be well and to enjoy an extraordinary life. Atlas Health Australia is the premiere Blair upper cervical healthcare centre in Brisbane. Located in North Lakes, our practice is dedicated to helping people with chronic health conditions including neck arthritis each their optimum health potential so that they can have long-term solutions and get back to enjoying the things in life that matter most.
Our principal Blair upper cervical chiropractor is Dr. Jeffrey Hannah, who is an advanced certified instructor with the Blair chiropractic society. He is an international lecturer, published author, and recognised leader in the field of upper cervical specific healthcare. If you would like more information about how we may be able to help you if you experience migraines, our office offers a complementary 15-minute consolation with Dr. Hannah to discuss your condition and answer any questions that you may have so that you can decide if care is right for you.
Simply call us at 07 3188 9329, or send us an email through the Contact Us link on this page, and we will be sure to get back to you. We look forward to hearing from you, and we will do our best to assist you, Atlas Health Australia - “Hope, healing, and wellbeing from above-down, inside-out.”
References
Côté P, Yu H, Shearer HM, et al. Non-pharmacological management of persistent headaches associated with neck pain: A clinical practice guideline from the Ontario protocol for traffic injury management (OPTIMa) collaboration. Eur J Pain. 2019 Jul;23(6):1051-1070. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1374. Epub 2019 Feb 28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30707486
Cramer GD, Fournier J, Henderson C. Degenerative changes of the articular processes following spinal fixation. J Chiro Educ 2002;1:7-8.
Cramer GD, Henderson CN, Little JW, Daley C, Grieve TJ. Zygapophyseal joint adhesions after induced hypomobility. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2010;33(7):508-18.
Cramer GD, Fournier JT, Henderson CN, Wolcott CC. Degenerative changes following spinal fixation in a small animal model. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2004;27(3):141-54.
Related article
What does Forward Head and Neck Posture mean for people with Dizziness and Vertigo?
Mar 01, 2021Lambrechts MJ, Maryan K, Whitman W, et al. Comorbidities associated with cervical spine degenerative disc disease. J Orthop. 2021;26:98-102. Published 2021 Jul 16. doi:10.1016/j.jor.2021.07.008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34341630/
Taylor DN. A theoretical basis for maintenance spinal manipulative therapy for the chiropractic profession. J of Chiropr Humanities (2011) 18, 74–85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3342827/
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