As you age, many parts of the body start to wear down. Your spine is no different in this regard. When age affects the condition of the cervical section of the spine, it is known as cervical spondylosis. Other names for the disorder are neck arthritis or cervical osteoarthritis.

Even though age causes most cervical spondylosis, other factors may also be responsible for the onset of the disorder. Here is a look at some common causes for the same.

Causes for cervical spondylosis:

  Bone spurs - Your body may try to strengthen the joints by growing additional bone tissues. These are known as bone spurs. These spurs can pinch down on the nerves and the spinal cord, leading to pain and other symptoms.

  Dehydrated discs - The spine houses shock-absorbing pad-like structures between the vertebrae, called discs. These discs contain a gel-like substance that gives them its unique shock absorbing properties. Over time, the gel dries out, causing greater friction between bones during movement.

  Injury - A neck injury can lead to cervical spondylosis. The disorder may not appear as soon as you suffer from the injury but may take years to develop.

  Excessive physical strain - Some profession may require people to lift heavy weights or overexert themselves physically. These people may develop cervical spondylosis later on because of this work.

Symptoms of cervical spondylosis:

Here are some symptoms that are commonly associated with cervical spondylosis.

  Shoulder pain - Patients suffering from cervical spondylosis often complain about pain in the shoulder blade. This pain increases while the person is standing, sitting, coughing, sneezing and tilting their head backwards.

  Weakness - People with cervical spondylosis also suffer from muscle weakness. For instance, you may not be able to grab things tightly in your hands, if you suffer from the spinal disorder. Furthermore, lifting the arms may be difficult.

Other minor symptoms of cervical spondylosis include stiffness in the neck that grows worse with time and headache that affects the back part of the head.

Treatment for cervical spondylosis:

Treatment is not necessary in many cases due to the absence of any distinguishing symptoms. However, if the spondylosis interferes with normal life, medical intervention is required. Treatment for the disease includes-

  Physical therapy - Physical therapy sessions often help deal with the pain and stiffness resulting from the cervical spondylosis. Your doctor will prescribe weekly sessions, which will aid to reduce the symptoms of the condition after some time.

  Medications - Pain medications help manage the discomfort related to the condition. However, these drugs do not have any long-term effect on the body. They only provide temporary relief from the pain.

  Surgery - Surgery for cervical spondylosis is uncommon. However, if the condition does not respond to other forms of treatment, the operation may be required to remove bone spurs, herniated discs and rectify parts of the spinal column.

You can also ask your doctor about home remedies to follow to manage the symptoms of the disease.

Cervical Spondylosis - How Can It Be Treated?

4 exercises to strengthen your knees

Knee pains and pains in the joints are not restricted to a certain age group anymore. Younger people of today face this problem too. To stay active all your life and escape the severe aches associated with weakening of muscles, joint pains or arthritis, you must start now. The only way to keep your knees fine and working is to exercise. 
4 moves that help you strengthen your knees.
1. Leg lifts (inner thigh) - lie on any one side, lay your head on the arm of the side below you. Make sure this hand is straight above your head, touching the ground. Keep your legs straight, one above the other. Lift the leg on top a few inches above, hold for few seconds and bring it back. Do this for 10 times and then with the other leg, on the other side. This exercise strengthens your inner thighs, eventually strengthening the knees.
2. Hip raises: lie flat on your back, your shoulders touching the ground. Bend your legs comfortable, your feet resting firmly on the ground. Raise your hips and thighs so that from your head to feet, you form an angle. Wait in this position for about 10 seconds, lower your hip until it touches the ground. Repeat for ten counts.
3. Lunges: stand straight. Take a step ahead with your right leg. Left leg remains in its place. With your back straight, bend your knees so that both are at 90 degrees. Go back to standing position; take your right leg back to where it was. Do the same step with your left leg. Repeat both sides ten times.
4. Bent leg extensions: this is pretty easy and all that you need to do it sit on a chair comfortably, with your back straight first. Your feet firmly flat on the ground in front of you, lift the right leg straight extending to the front. Make sure your thighs stay on the chair. Bring your leg back to the original position, firmly planted on the ground. Do the same with your left leg. Repeat 10 times on both sides.
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The Only 4 Moves That Strengthen Your KNEES

The movement between bones and muscles is possible due to the fluid filled sacs that enable smooth gliding of the bones. When there is an inflammation of these sacs, condition known as bursitis results, leading to friction, reduced movement, painful movement, discomfort, and irritation.

Some of the common causes of bursitis include age, which brings along reduced elasticity of the tendons and ligaments.  Additionally, sudden injury to the bursa area, repetitive stress, overuse of the ligaments or tendons, incorrect posture, and improper exercise can all lead to bursitis.

The most commonly affected parts are the elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The dull, aching pain that ensues is accompanied by stiffness. Movement can worsen this pain.  The area can be red, hot, and swollen indicating infection. Whatever the area affected, some of the common ways to manage bursitis pain are listed below.

1. Rest - As soon as bursitis is identified, the area must be rested. As noted, in most cases, repetitive stress and injury is the most common cause, and resting the area really helps.

2. Ice only - If bursitis is happening for the first time, then an ice pack alone should help reduce the pain in 1 to 2 days.

3. Ice and moist heat - If it is happening repeatedly, then alternating moist heat and ice for 15 minutes each will help.  This can be done two to three times a day. 

4. Anti-inflammatories: In most cases, if rest and topical therapy are not working, then the regular anti-inflammatory agents may be given. 

5. Physical Therapy - In some cases, mild exercises can help reduce inflammation and pain. 

6. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) - This clear, colorless, oily liquid is made from wood pulp and helps in reducing the inflammation caused by bursitis. A 70% DMSO mixture can be applied with cotton on the affected area 3 times a day for 3 days, then 2 times a day for the next 3 days, and then 1 time a day for the next 3 days.  If there is no improvement in the first 3 days, it needs to be discontinued.

7. Foods to remove calcium deposits - In a number of cases, bursitis that is present for months or years is worsened due to the calcium deposits. Foods like apple cider vinegar can help dissolve the calcium deposits that could have formed in the bursa.

8. Steroids: Local injections of corticosteroids may be necessary in some cases. Though inflammation can be curtailed with this, there is always the fear of hampered immunity and altered sugar levels.

9. Surgical drainage - In very rare cases, the bursa may need to be surgically drained.
Bursitis is a very common issue and can be managed easily as well. Consult your doctor and avoid medicating on your own.

Ways to Treat Bursitis

Knee pain: causes and tips to manage knee pain

The knee is the largest joint of the body and is made up of upper and lower bones that are separated by two discs known as menisci. While minor knee pain may be experienced by many people, it should be handled with medical intervention when it becomes a serious and debilitating problem. Sudden injury or injury due to overuse as well as myriad conditions that affect the joints and muscles can bring about knee pain. Underlying conditions like osteoporosis or arthritis, which affect the bones and joints, can also cause knee pain. The symptoms include painful swelling and stiffness as well as severe discomfort. Let us learn more about the causes of knee pain and the ways in which it can be managed-

Injury: exercise and sports injuries are one of the most common causes that can be the start of acute knee pain, as well as chronic condition. These kinds of injuries can affect the ligaments and cartilage which leads to severe pain. The pain can even affect the way one functions in one's daily life. Knee ligament injuries can also cause this kind of pain. These ligaments are bands of tissues that connect the thigh bone with the lower leg bones. Sprains and tears in the acl or pcl are common in sports injuries, and may even require surgery in many cases. Knee cartilage tears can also take place in the hard yet flexible cartilage of the knee which can affect the meniscus around the knee. This condition may also require surgery.

Arthritis: this condition can affect the knees specifically and is one of the most common types of arthritis. This is a chronic condition which gets progressively worse over time and may even require surgery. Stiffness and inflammation are common symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a degenerative auto-immune disease that can affect the knees and cause knee pain. Furthermore, post traumatic arthritis can also be experienced after an injury. Osteoarthritis is another common condition that leads to knee pain. It basically occurs due to wear and tear of the knees over a prolonged period and is usually experienced by patients over the age of 50.

Managing knee pain: while pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed for most cases, along with surgery in the long run, it is also possible to manage knee pain with the help of better lifestyle choices like regular knee and muscle strengthening exercises as well as rest - rest, ice, compression and elevation. These methods can help in relieving inflammation and pain. But very severe cases will require medical intervention, so it is imperative to get in touch with your doctor if the condition does not improve.

Knee Pain: Causes and Tips to Manage Knee Pain

If you suffer from persistent backaches and neck pain, you may be diagnosed with spondylitis. Spondylitis refers to degenerative changes of the spine, such as the formation of bone spurs and degeneration of spinal discs. This condition can affect the neck, upper or mid back and lower back. Of these, spondylitis of the neck- cervical spondylitis and lower back- lumbar spondylitis are most common.

Spondylitis is considered to be triggered by age. As a person grows older, the wear and tear of the bones and ligaments of the spinal column can lead to the development of bone spurs and osteoarthritis. Age can also cause the discs between vertebrae to weaken and degenerate leading to bulging discs and herniating spinal discs. Most people experience the first symptoms of spondylitis between the age of 20 and 50. A family history of spondylitis and being prone to injuries also increases a person s risk of suffering from spondylitis.

Since spondylitis is a degenerative disease, there is no cure for this condition. However, the pain associated with it can be managed. Thus, treatment for spondylitis is very similar to treatment for neck or back pain. This treatment can be in the form of pain medication, exercise, physical therapy and minimally invasive surgery. Depending on the extent of spinal damage the doctor may prescribe steroids that need to be injected directly into the intervertebral spaces. This is also known as epidural injections.

Spondylitis patients are often advised to follow their normal schedule and refrain from bed rest as this can prolong recovery. However, at the same time, you should not undertake any activity that puts additional pressure or stress on the spinal column. Alternating between warm and cold compresses can help relieve the pain associated with spondylitis. Additionally, try sleeping with a pillow between your legs to relieve low back pain. 

Special pillows that offer cervical support can help relieve spondylitis of the neck.

Surgery may be considered in cases where this condition causes or worsens nerve damage. Spinal decompression surgery involves relieving pressure on the nerves in the spinal column that may be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis. This surgery can be performed through a laminectomy, discectomy or foraminotomy. Bone spurs in the spinal column or a vertebral disc can also be removed surgically. However, these surgeries are rarely performed as most patients respond well to non-surgical treatments.

Causes of Spondylitis - How Can it Be Treated?

A bone fracture is often abbreviated as FX or # and is a painful medical condition that causes damage in the continuity of the bone. A dictionary meaning of fracture is a separation of an object or a material into two or more pieces under the action of stress.


A bone fracture could be due to a high force impact or stress, an injury from trauma or sports or even certain medical conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis, bone cancer or osteogenesis imperfecta.


However, a significant number of fractures occur due to high force impact or stress. A fracture could be simple where the skin is not exposed or compound where skin gets exposed. A fracture could be complete where the bone breaks up in two pieces or could be incomplete with a crack in the bone.


Treatment of bone fracture depends on the type of fracture. In a large number of cases, the bone is aligned through a cast or splint. However, a very crucial part in the recovery of the treatment is physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is a comprehensive care plan designed for the patient for optimal and complete recovery. Yet most patients do not understand its effectiveness. In layman's terms physiotherapy is understood as few exercises or messages designed to aid the patient's treatment. However, Physiotherapy not only aids the recovery, it effectively promotes healing, reduces pain and stiffness and gradually helps the patient to return back to his/her normal daily activities of life.


Physiotherapy is a complete preventive and rehabilitative approach to treatment and must begin as early as possible and continue post fracture. Physiotherapy has been proven to be effective in preventing post fracture stiffness and weakness that occurs in adjacent joints and muscles generally during the first six weeks of the healing process. If the X-ray shows poor healing, physiotherapy is a medium used to help the patient regain muscle strength and speed up recovery.


Irregular movements can lead the bones to further damage the surrounding tissues and muscles. Damage may also lead to infection, especially in compound fractures where the skin is exposed. Thus, physiotherapy regulates the movements, supports healing and prevents further damage. Physiotherapy not only involves messages or exercises. It includes a range of interventions designed for prevention and rehabilitation of patients. These interventions include pain management, education and awareness on safety and prevention of injury, strength building and flexibility exercises and in some cases taping, bracing and electrotherapy.


To add to its benefits, physiotherapy procedures are also completely safe and are supported by medical science. These procedures also do not have any side effects. Always remember to consult your orthopedic doctor as he can guide you towards the best physiotherapy treatment.


Stay fit and healthy!"

Physiotherapy - Why it is Critical for Recovery from Fracture?

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