Cervical Vertebrae

Physical Therapy for Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative condition that affects the cervical vertebrae in your neck. Spondylosis is a general term that is used to describe age-related deterioration in your vertebral discs and can eventually lead to osteoarthritis,...

Vertebral Diseases of Children

The vertebrae are the bones that make up the spinal column. The 33 vertebrae go from the neck all the way to the pelvis. They give support to the head, chest and abdomen, and completely surround and protect the spinal cord. Vertebral diseases can...

Complications of Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is damage to the vertebrae (spinal column) in the neck due to the wear-and-tear of aging. It is the most common form of spinal dysfunction in older people, according to the Mayo Clinic, mostly affecting people older than 55...

Cervical Strengthening Exercise

The cervical vertebrae originates at the base of the skull, and extends to the thoracic spine. It is composed of cylindrical bones located in front of the spinal cord, which supports and stabilizes the neck by working with spinal ligaments,...

Cervical Spinal Cord Fusion Complications

The cervical spine is composed of seven small bones, called vertebra, which stack atop one another along the neck. Patients who develop persistent neck pain may experience symptom relief after undergoing cervical spinal cord fusion. During this...

Cervical Stenosis Symptoms

Your spinal column is composed of 24 vertebrae: seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae, according to health professionals at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The...

Cervical Spinal Stenosis Symptoms

Your spinal column is composed of a collection of cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae---the small bones that support your back and allow you to bend and move normally. There are seven cervical vertebrae that extend from the base of your skull...

Yoga & Neck Problems

Practicing yoga can help you relieve stress, stiffness and tension in your neck, but it can also cause further pain and possible injury if you cannot maintain proper posture and form. Understanding the proper posture for your neck can help you...

Exercises for Herniated C6 & C7

The bones in your neck comprise part of your spine and are referred to as the cervical vertebrae. These vertebrae are mobile, allowing your head to rotate and turn. When one of the soft discs between your cervical vertebrae rupture, or herniate,...

Causes of Neck Pain Symptoms

There are many causes of neck pain symptoms. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, neck pain can be caused by any neck structure, including muscles, ligaments, nerves, vertebrae and...

C1-C5 Neck Exercises

The spine has seven cervical vertebrae, numbered C1 to C7. The cervical vertebrae are smaller than other spinal vertebrae. Cervical vertebrae protect and encase the spinal cord, and enable diverse head movements such as bending backward, forward...

Causes of Head & Neck Pain

Pain originating from neck structures can radiate to other parts of the body, including the head. Although a significant amount of head pain comes from the neck, certain conditions or health problems can cause head-only or head and neck pain. Head...

Cervical Disc Herniation Symptoms

Cervical disc herniation is a condition wherein the cartilaginous discs that separate the vertebrae in the neck become weakened and degenerate. The tough outer ring of the disc is eroded so severely that the inner core of the disc, called the...

What Muscles Do Shoulder Shrugs Work?

You can perform shoulder shrugs, a popular weight training exercise, with dumbbells, a barbell or using a plate-loaded lever. While most individuals think---due to the name of the exercise---that it works the heads of the shoulder, the target...

How to Do Push-ups to Build Muscle Mass & Boost Metabolism

The standard push-up is an exercise that works your chest, shoulder and tricep muscles. It is primarily a body weight or endurance exercise, and although it can transiently boost your metabolism if you do enough reps in a single session, it will...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Spine Effects

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition that causes progressive inflammation and destruction of the joints in the human body. The longer a person has RA, the greater the odds that RA will attack the joints in the spine. Those who have had RA for...

Cervical Spine Surgery Complications

The cervical spine or neck bones consist of seven cervical vertebrae with eight pairs of cervical nerves. These nerves control the neck, arms and upper body. Cervical vertebrae are subject to trauma, degenerative disease, and fractures. When...

Upper Body Exercises & Cervical Precautions

Many weightlifters are so concerned about proper muscle movement performing arm curls, chest flyes, pushups and triceps pull-downs that they forget to take care of basic postural forces. Vertebrae in the neck should be in a neutral position during...

Protruding Cervical Disc Exercise

The cervical vertebrae is a sensitive location to suffer from an acute or chronic condition. A severe injury to the cervical vertebrae could result in paraplegia or even death. Knowing the correct anatomy, recognizing the symptoms and performing...

Herniated Cervical Disk Exercises

A herniated cervical disc occurs when the gel-like material inside the spinal disc seeps out, pressing on a spinal nerve. The cervical spine extends from the base of your skull down to your shoulders. Resting in the cervical spine are nerves that...

Four Levels of Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure which aims to bring together two or more spinal vertebrae so that in time they fuse into one solid, bony unit. Generally, the intervertebral disk is removed and replaced with grafted bone or bone substitutes....

Tension Headaches & Physical Therapy

Tension headaches are the most common kind of headache and they typically result from tension in the muscles that support your head and neck. Tension headaches can occur for a variety of reasons, most commonly from holding your head in the same...

Disorders of the Nerves & Tendons of the Neck

The neck is a relatively flexible region of the body; therefore, it is prone to injury. Disorders of the neck target the nerves that exit the spinal cord and the tendons that attach the muscles to bone. Caused primarily by overstretching the...

Exercise Equipment and Spinal Injuries

Spinal injuries may cause a loss of motor function, and a loss of sensation below the point of the injury. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability stresses the importance of exercise for spinal injury rehabilitation, but warns that...

Exercises for Cervical Disc Disease

The cervical spine consists of the upper seven vertebrae. These vertebrae sit one on top of the other. Cervical discs, made primarily of collagen and cartilage, sit between each vertebrae and act as shock absorbers for the spine. Through the...

Four Types of Joints

A joint is the place where two or more bones come together or articulate, such as in the hip, knee, shoulder, or elbow, the National Institutes of Health notes. The human body is designed to move and this is demonstrated by the complex and varied...

Rehabilitation Following Cervical Spine Fusion Surgery

Your cervical spine includes the seven vertebrae that connect your head to your spine and extend down to your shoulders. Cervical spine fusion surgery may be recommended when the disc material begins to seep out of your cervical vertebrae and...

How to Help Heal Muscle and Tissue Damage in the Neck

The muscles and tissues of the neck include structures such as the sternocleidomastoid and levator scapula as well as the tendons, muscle sheaths and fascia that support the cervical vertebrae. While these tissues are strong enough to support the...

What Are the Causes of Spinal Neck Pain?

There are numerous causes of spinal neck pain. According to FamilyDoctor.org, neck pain can be caused by traumatic injury, repetitive stress or by certain medical conditions, including some that may be life-threatening. Spinal neck pain is pain...

Cervical Spondylosis Health Video (Video)

Cervical Spondylosis is the deformation of the joints in the vertebrae near the neck. It is a condition associated with aging. Get tips and advice on health and medical issues in this wellness video.

Broken Neck Health Video (Video)

A broken neck is an extremely serious injury that can lead to paralysis or death. Learn how to diagnose and treat a broken neck in this medical video.