Orthopedics-Online

Cervical Spine Syndrome - Effects and Consequences

introduction

Cervical spine syndrome is the umbrella term for a large number of different orthopedic and neurological symptoms caused by pathologies in the cervical spine area.

The consequences and complications that this diversity of symptoms brings with it range from the slightest complaints to serious restrictions in the life of a person affected.

A distinction must also be made as to whether the cervical spine syndrome is acute or chronic. It is important that patients are informed about the possible risks and effects of this disease and that they are given advice on how to cope with them more easily.

Do you have pain in the cervical spine and would like to relieve the symptom independently from home? Read more about this under: Physiotherapy for cervical spine syndrome

The most common consequences

Episode # 1 - Pain

The most common and widespread consequence of cervical spine syndrome is neck pain, which can radiate to the head, shoulder, or arms. Above all, people are affected who are continuously exposed to inappropriate stress due to their work. This includes long periods of standing, long periods of sitting, working at the computer or working overhead.

Muscle tension, nerve irritation or nerve compression can lead to pain, numbness, weakness or paralysis in the respective nerve area.

Many patients suffer enormously from the effects of severe pain, which is often life-limiting and unfortunately often difficult to treat.
Basically, the basis of a good therapy concept is a balanced combination of:

Pain medication
Muscular build-up
Alternative therapy options depending on the cause of the cervical spine syndrome.

In Germany, the chronification of back pain is becoming an increasing problem. Pain therapy is a difficult challenge because every patient reacts differently to the various forms of therapy.
Patients should be educated that it can be a frustrating process at times, as there are often many options that need to be tried.

Would you like to know more about it? Then read our next topic: Pain in the cervical spine

Appointment with a back specialist?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

The spine is difficult to treat. On the one hand it is exposed to high mechanical loads, on the other hand it has great mobility.

The treatment of the spine (e.g. herniated disc, facet syndrome, foramen stenosis, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of diseases of the spine.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
Kaiserstrasse 14
60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Episode # 2 - Sick leave

In some cases, the symptoms of the cervical spine syndrome unfortunately result in long-term sick leave due to chronic pain or rehabilitation stays.

On the one hand, this can lead to resentment with the employer or colleagues. On the other hand, depending on the length of the sick leave, there are some things that must be considered.

If there is a failure of up to 6 weeks, there are no changes. After 6 weeks of sick leave, the employee's health insurance will arrange a compensation payment, also called sick pay. This is 70% of the gross salary.
For rehabilitation stays, the pension insurance pays transition allowance.

Episode # 3 - Early Retirement

As the number of patients with cervical spine syndrome increases, so does the number of workers who are required to retire early due to the limitations of this disease.

Before an application for occupational disability has to be made, the pension fund will in most cases offer rehabilitation measures to restore the occupational ability to work. Intensive all-day rehabilitation programs or weekly regular training programs can lead to drastic improvements in some of the patients.
Gradual reintegration into everyday working life with numerous assistance in organizing working hours is also carried out in Germany.

Furthermore, a change in the workplace can help with optimizing posture. If the work can no longer be carried out by yourself, you can retrain to another profession.

If any work cannot be carried out for more than 6 or 3 hours, however, there is a partial or complete disability. Since each case has to be decided individually, it is worthwhile to visit a German pension insurance advice center in person.

What secondary diseases can cervical spine syndrome bring?

Unfortunately, in addition to the effects on a patient's psychological state, the cervical spine syndrome can also lead to other secondary diseases. It can cause some pathologies in the head, neck and shoulder area through permanent poor posture, muscle hardening and wear and tear of the joints.

A herniated disc can be a secondary disease of the cervical spine syndrome.

The constant stress on the vertebral bodies can also lead to:

Inflammation of the bones
Joint cysts
arthritis
Stenoses of the vertebral exit points of nerve fibers

The bone marrow itself, which passes through the vertebral body, can also become inflamed. In the same way, inflammation can rise to the brain and lead to meningitis.
If you would like to deal more with this topic, our text is at your disposal: Meningitis - Symptoms & Diagnostics

Damage to the vessels that are close to the cervical spine is also feared. In the rarest of cases, for example, dissections, i.e. splitting of the blood vessels, hematomas in the brain or bleeding in the brain can occur.

This usually affects cervical spine syndromes that arise as part of an accident. In addition, the so-called thoracic outlet syndrome can occur, which causes pain in the shoulder girdle.

Would you like to deal with secondary diseases of a cervical spine syndrome? Then read more about this under: Herniated Disc of the Cervical Spine - Symptoms & Therapy

Psychosomatic effects

Especially when the cervical spine syndrome becomes chronic, it can have psychosomatic effects, as the patient is faced with a completely new life situation.

Be it a pain that is difficult to treat or the dependency on outside help in everyday life, the consequences of this clinical picture are severe in some cases and the changeover is not easy to cope with.

The loss of earning capacity is also often a major financial problem, which also brings with it many questions of identity psychologically.

Loss of social contacts due to restricted physical function and stressful factors for partnership and family are unfortunately also consequences of a chronic illness.

Depressed moods are not uncommon and are closely related to the success or failure of therapy. In many centers specializing in cervical spine syndrome, herniated disc or chronic back pain, there are self-help groups and specialization in psychotherapy.

It has been scientifically proven through studies that psychotherapeutic treatment has a positive influence on pain therapy for chronic pain.

Would you like to bring your mental health in peace? Then read more under: How can you prevent depression?