Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is most likely to cause headache and dizziness during onset. The best approach is to adopt drug therapy to alleviate the symptoms of dizziness. However, it is more important to perform physical exercises. During acute onset, it is necessary to rest in bed and avoid strenuous exercise. Additionally, do not believe in folk remedies and seek proper medical treatment to accelerate recovery. Complementary traction and massage therapy can also be helpful.

Drug Therapy

Drug therapy can be used to selectively apply analgesics, sedatives, and vitamins (such as B1, B12), which can have a certain effect on relieving symptoms. It is worth trying to use glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate for supportive treatment. Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are clinically used for the treatment of osteoarthritis in various parts of the body. These cartilage protectants have a certain degree of anti-inflammatory and anti-cartilage breakdown effects. Basic research shows that glucosamine can inhibit the production of inflammatory factors by spinal cord nucleus pulposus cells and promote the synthesis of glycosaminoglycan, a component of intervertebral disc cartilage matrix. Clinical studies have found that intradiscal injection of glucosamine can significantly reduce lower back pain caused by intervertebral disc degenerative diseases and improve spinal function. Case reports suggest that oral administration of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate can reverse intervertebral disc degenerative changes to a certain extent.

Exercise Therapy

When the symptoms of various types of cervical spondylosis are basically relieved or in a chronic state, medical gymnastics can be started to further eliminate symptoms and consolidate the curative effect. During acute onset, it is advisable to rest locally and avoid increasing exercise stimulation. Exercise is contraindicated when there are obvious or progressive symptoms of spinal cord compression, especially cervical extension exercises. When cervical spondylosis of the vertebral artery type occurs, neck rotation exercises should be gentle and slow, and the amplitude should be appropriately controlled.

Traction Therapy

"Traction" was once one of the preferred methods for treating cervical spondylosis. However, in recent years, it has been found that many patients with cervical spondylosis, especially those who have used "traction" for a long time, have not only failed to improve but have even worsened their condition. Traction cannot promote the recovery of the physiological curvature of the cervical spine. On the contrary, traction straightens the cervical spine and weakens its physiological curvature. Therefore, traction therapy should be used cautiously for cervical spondylosis.

Massage and Manipulation Therapy

Massage and manipulation therapy is a relatively effective treatment for cervical spondylosis. Its therapeutic effect is to relieve the tension and spasm of the neck and shoulder muscle groups, restore cervical spine activity, and alleviate symptoms by relieving nerve root and soft tissue adhesions. Spinal cord type cervical spondylosis generally forbids heavy massage and reduction, as it can easily exacerbate symptoms and even lead to paraplegia. Even if early symptoms are not obvious, surgical treatment is generally recommended.