Cervical Spondylosis eMedicine Neurosurgery

Description: Cervical spondylosis is a chronic degenerative condition of the cervical spine that affects the vertebral bodies and intervertebral disks of the neck (in the form of, for example, disk herniation and spur formation), as well as the contents of the spinal canal (nerve roots and/or spinal cord). Some authors also include the degenerative changes in the facet joints, longitudinal ligaments, and ligamentum flavum.
Synonyms and related keywords: cervical osteoarthritis, degenerative arthropathy of the cervical spine, facet joints, longitudinal ligaments, ligamentum flavum, chronic cervical degeneration, cervical disk degeneration, cervical disc degeneration, disk herniation, spur formation, nerve root compression, progressive spinal cord compression, foraminal stenoses, foraminal stenosis, spinal canal stenosis, chronic neck pain, diminished cervical range of motion, cervical spondylotic myelopathy, quadriparesis, sphincteric dysfunction, chronic suboccipital headache, cervical radiculopathy, acute herniated disk, cervical intervertebral disk degeneration, transverse lesion syndrome, motor syndrome, central cord syndrome, Brown-Séquard syndrome, brachialgia, tandem spinal stenosis, neurogenic claudication, gait abnormality, dysphagia, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, elevated hemidiaphragm, Spurling sign, Lhermitte sign, Hoffman sign, degenerative disk disease, DDD
Al-Shatoury, Galhom & Wagner 2007