Spine

Spondylosis

What is Spinal Spondylosis?

Spinal spondylosis is a degenerative spine disease that causes the individual vertebrae of the spinal column to stiffen or become fixed together. Vertebrae are the individual bones of the spine that move together, allowing you to twist and turn your back. When these bones lose the ability to move independently, mobility can be severely limited, and there may be significant pain in your back. Spinal spondylosis usually occurs in one section of the back, either the neck, the top of the back, or the lower back.

Spinal spondylosis occurs most frequently in older people as a result of osteoarthritis, bone spurs, or some other degenerative condition. Symptoms of the spine condition can include numbness, a tingling sensation, weakness, and pain, all of which can spread from the back into the arms and legs depending upon which part of the spine is affected.

Treatments

Pain from spinal spondylosis can become worse with time as the onset of spondylosis symptoms tends to be gradual. However, many people experience relief from their symptoms with mild, noninvasive treatment options. Effective spondylosis treatment can include over-the-counter pain relievers, regular use of heat and ice, rest, and even regular exercise.

Additionally, maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly have helped many sufferers of spinal spondylosis reduced their symptoms and improve the overall health of their back. Physical therapy exercises to stretch the back and improve range of motion have also proven effective. If pain is severe enough, occasional steroid injections may be recommended. Such injections help numb pain at the source and reduce inflammation of the surrounding tissue.

Schedule an Appointment

To learn more about treatment options for spinal spondylosis, please request an appointment online, or call 509-444-6325.

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Appointment Resources

Once you have scheduled your appointment with one of our spine doctors, please use the link below to obtain our new patient forms and browse through our tips and preparation suggestions for your appointment. 

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