Causes of a cervical spine syndrome
The cervical spine syndrome is a complex of symptoms that can be triggered by a wide variety of causes and is therefore actually a collective term for the appearance of many different diseases. Most often, a cervical spine syndrome is caused by a problem that originates in the cervical spine. The so-called spinal blockages play a particularly important role here, which is understood to be a segmental functional disorder of the articulated connections between the individual vertebrae.
The causes of the cervical spine syndrome also depend on the time course of the symptoms:
- Unexpected occurrence of symptoms (acute cervical spine syndrome) is more likely to indicate sudden overuse of the cervical spine as in a traffic accident ("whiplash"), heavy unaccustomed strain or similar movement sequences.
- The chronic cervical spine syndrome is often due to other prolonged stress or processes.
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Degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs
The most common cause of a chronic cervical spine syndrome is the wear and tear of the intervertebral discs, the associated cartilage and the vertebral bodies as a result of the constant stresses that the spine is exposed to in everyday life. Natural aging causes the intervertebral discs to lose fluid and thus become narrower. In addition, the cartilage layer between the intervertebral disc and vertebral bodies is shrinking more and more, until finally the function of the intervertebral disc as a "shock absorber" can no longer be maintained.
Since the intervertebral disc can no longer adequately fill the space between two vertebrae, but the spine still has to withstand everyday stresses, the body begins to "build on" the vertebrae and create bony extensions (= Osteophytes) to build. The force can thus be transferred to a larger area, which reduces the load on each individual vertebra. This happens at the expense of mobility, which is of course severely restricted by these additional bone parts. If the extensions on the vertebrae grow continuously, it is at some point inevitable that the newly formed extensions of neighboring vertebrae meet, which is then noticeable in the movement-dependent pain. Movement-dependent because the appendages hit each other to different degrees due to rotation in the vertebral bodies when the body rotates.
These intervertebral discs, which are narrower due to fluid loss, occur in every person. However, not everyone with narrow intervertebral discs develops a cervical spine syndrome. For those affected, there are often other factors that further increase the burden. Classically, this includes one-sided movements or poor posture when using a computer.
Also read the article on the topic: Degenerative spinal disease
The painful rubbing of the bone extensions is not the only consequence of these changes in the spinal architecture.
In sum, the space between the vertebrae is filled with less and less intervertebral discs, but more bone to withstand the stresses despite the lack of intervertebral disc buffer. The space between the vertebral bodies is, however, extremely important, because it is precisely into these intervertebral spaces that the individual nerve roots always pass through a bony canal between two neighboring vertebral bodies (= Intervertebral foramen) from the spine to pull from there into the body and to control functions such as muscle contractions and sensitivity to touch. The lack of space means that this space becomes too narrow and bone parts can press on these nerves. They react to this pressure with sensory disturbances in the arms and / or hands up to severe pain. If numbness, tingling, pain or weakness of the arms occur, the affected should definitely consult a doctor, as these are signs of serious damage to the nerves, which must be urgently treated to avoid permanent damage.
Other causes
- Herniated disc of the cervical spine: Here, the displacement of parts of the intervertebral disc leads to space problems in the nerve canal and, just as with the degenerative (= wear-related) form, the nerve is pinched and the symptoms mentioned above
- Spina bifida
- Scoliosis (a sideways curvature of the spine)
- Inflammation can be responsible for a cervical spine syndrome, although this makes no difference whether it is a generalized inflammatory disease such as one from the rheumatic type or an acute infection, often caused by tuberculosis bacteria or staphylococci.
- Spinal surgery caused by a doctor
If the cause is unclear, the following should always be excluded:
- Tumors,
- rheumatic diseases (e.g. Bechterew's disease),
- Nerve inflammation (e.g. caused by bacteria),
- Metabolic diseases (e.g. osteoporosis)
- Bad posture (e.g. scoliosis or malformations in child development).
A survey about previous accidents and injuries can also provide important information. Here, you can often find indications of the well-known "whiplash", which is triggered by extreme bending forward and backward (rear-end collision). These movements can also result in muscle tension, ligament injuries or disc injuries, which then lead to acute cervical spine syndrome.
difficulties swallowing
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) can occur with a cervical spine syndrome. The nerves that mediate the process of swallowing run from the brain along the cervical spine down to the end of the esophagus and the stomach. If there is strong tension or blockage, these nerves can also be affected. The consequence of this can be restrictions in the forwarding of information, which is reflected in complaints during the act of swallowing.
Read more on the subject at: Symptoms of cervical spine syndrome
Drowsiness
In the case of a cervical spine syndrome, the feeling of drowsiness can result from pinching various nerves. Usually there is strong tension or hardening or blockages, which lead to the pinching of a nerve. The nerve in question can no longer transmit relevant information to the brain. E.g. the position or the state of tension of muscles and joints in the neck area no longer adequately transmitted. This can result in a feeling of lightheadedness. In this context, dizziness and visual disturbances may also be present.
For more information, see: Cervical spine syndrome and dizziness
Visual disturbances
With a cervical spine syndrome visual disturbances can occur. These are caused by reduced or interrupted blood flow through arteries in the neck area. In the event of a blockage or tension, e.g. the vertebral artery becomes narrowed. This runs along the back of the cervical vertebrae and in the case of the upper cervical vertebrae it runs through holes in the cervical vertebrae. If the cervical vertebrae or smaller joints are twisted or the neck muscles are too tense, this can lead to a constriction in these areas.
Read more on the subject at: Cervical spine syndrome and visual disturbances
nausea
The nausea associated with UW syndrome can have several causes. On the one hand, the vegetative nervous system (the parasympathetic nerve) is irritated by tension and hardening, which is also reflected in other symptoms such as sweating, tremors and general nervousness.
Furthermore, the nausea can be caused by other symptoms. Nausea can be caused by visual disturbances, balance disorders and dizziness. It should not be neglected that severe or long-lasting pain in the cervical spine can cause nausea.
Read more on the subject at: Cervical spine syndrome and nausea
Psychological causes of cervical spine syndrome
The shoulder-neck syndrome (cervical spine syndrome) can also be understood as a kind of misguided response to great mental tension.
Pain in the neck and neck region can also develop in people who are under great stress. You are often very tense internally, which can lead to tension in your back and especially in the shoulder area. Other psychological stress, such as worry or grief, can also trigger muscle tension and back pain.
People with a lot of stress, worry or inner tension have their attention on their mind. The reasons for this vary in nature. For example, stress in the context of a responsible job, worry or grief within the family can lead to overload.
If no more rest phases can be found and those affected do not escape the tension, they can “freeze” in this posture.
A stress-related permanent tension of the shoulder and neck muscles as the cause of a cervical spine syndrome causes hardening in the tissue over time and circulatory disorders in the muscles. This creates pressure on the nerves, muscles and tendons, which blocks mobility. In the worst case, inflammatory processes can develop from it.
As part of a medical treatment of the emotional causes of a cervical spine syndrome, psychological stress should be openly addressed. The following questions can provide clues to the deeper psychosomatic causes of the symptoms:
- Am I frozen in my view of life?
- Am I overloading myself?
- Do I have to "shoulder" everything by myself?
- Do I have the feeling that something or someone is sitting on my back that I just have to please and then it stops?
- But when is that - and does it ever stop?
You might also be interested in this topic: Cervical Spine Syndrome - Effects and Consequences
