Upper spinal arthritis, or cervical spondylosis, is a disease that can cause many significant neurological and muscular symptoms in the upper body. Cervical spondylosis is the wear-and-tear breakdown of cartilage and formation of bone spurs in the upper part of the spine. These changes in the spinal architecture can compress nerves in the back, and nerves that go to the arms. In addition, the Mayo Clinic reports that severe cases of cervical spondylosis can lead to cervical stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal. However, 90 percent of those with cervical stenosis do not experience symptoms.
Pain
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) states that there are two types of pain that you may experience if you have cervical spondylosis. The first type of pain is located in the neck region. This occurs because of the damaged cartilage and bone spurs (abnormal bone growth) that aggravate surrounding nerves. This can cause tenderness in the neck, pain with movement of the neck, and headaches. The second type of pain is pain that shoots down the arm from the neck. According to the AAOS, radiation of pain from the spine down the arms is termed cervical radiculopathy. This occurs because the nerves that sense pain are irritated by bone spurs in the neck. This symptom is important in helping doctors diagnose cervical spondylosis. Seek medical attention if you are experiencing radiating pain.
Numbness and Tingling
Numbness and tingling can occur in the arms, hands and fingers because of cervical spondylosis. This occurs because the nerves that sense sensation in your upper arms are irritated by the bone spurs that have formed on your vertebrae (back bones). This causes these nerves to send sensations of numbness and tingling up your spinal cord to be processed by your brain. If you are experiencing numbness and tingling in your arms, hands or fingers, alert your doctor.
Weakness
The AAOS reports that weakness is a common symptom of cervical spondylosis. This weakness can affect raising the shoulder, bending and extending the elbows, bending and extending of the wrist, and grip strength of the hands. This occurs because the nerves that send signals to the muscles to contract are compressed by bone spurs. This causes a weakening in the signal, resulting in weak upper arm movements. Weakness can be a sign of cervical spondylosis. You should seek proper diagnosis and treatment from your doctor.
