• Spotlight on Spondylosis

    If you’re concerned that you’re suffering from a spinal condition like spondylosis, you should visit a spine specialist in Los Angeles as soon as possible. Spondylosis causes degeneration in the neck, middle back, and lower back, and can cause significant neck pain and back pain. Keep reading to learn about the primary causes, symptoms, and treatment of spondylosis before you visit a spine and pain center near you.

    Causes of Spondylosis
    As you age, the discs, cartilage and bones in your neck and spinal column might begin to degrade. This degradation can develop because your discs have become dehydrated, dried out, or shrunken with age, causing increased contact Spine Specialist in Los Angeles between the vertebrae of your spine. You can also develop herniated discs, which can put pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica. Disc degeneration can also lead to the development of bone spurs, which may put pressure on or pinch the nerve roots in the spine. Spinal ligaments may also stiffen and weaken with age, which affects the flexibility of your neck and can cause neck pain and neck stiffness.

    Common Spondylosis Symptoms
    For some people, spondylosis does not cause any symptoms at all. You might not even know that you have the condition unless you visit a spine doctor for unrelated reasons. Other people do develop symptoms, which include neck pain, lower back pain, upper back pain, back spasms, and neck or back stiffness. You might also experience sciatica, which causes pain to radiate from your neck or lower back down to one of your limbs. Sciatica also causes numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. If you experience a sudden loss of bowel or bladder control on top of any of these symptoms, you should visit a spine doctor immediately.

    How a Spine Specialist Can Treat Spondylosis
    The treatment provided by your spine specialist will depend upon the severity of your symptoms. Treatment may include medication such as anti-inflammatories, steroids, pain relievers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications. You may also need to try physical therapy, acupuncture, or behavior modification techniques. Spine surgery is only necessary in severe cases.