Neck Pain Conditions

Arthritis of the neck, or cervical spondylosis, is the medical term for these age-related, wear and tear changes that occur over time. Cervical spondylosis is extremely common. More than 85 percent of people over the age of 60 are affected.

As we age, the disks in the spine lose height and begin to bulge. They also lose water content and begin to dry out and weaken. This problem causes settling, or collapse, of the disk spaces and loss of disk space height.

As the facet joints experience increased pressure, they also begin to degenerate and develop arthritis, similar to what may occur in the hip or knee joint. The smooth, slippery articular cartilage that covers and protects the joints wears away.

Your spinal column is made up of a series of bones (vertebrae) stacked onto each other. These bones are cushioned by disks. The disks protect the bones by absorbing the shocks from daily activities like walking, lifting, and twisting.

Each disk has two parts: a soft, gelatinous inner portion and a tough outer ring. Injury or weakness can cause the inner portion of the disk to protrude through the outer ring. This is known as a slipped, herniated, or prolapsed disk. This causes pain and discomfort.

A slipped disk occurs when the outer ring becomes weak or torn and allows the inner portion to slip out. This can happen with age. Certain motions may also cause a slipped disc. A disc can slip out of place while you are twisting or turning to lift an object.

Failed back surgery syndrome (also called FBSS, or failed back syndrome) is a misnomer, as it is not actually a syndrome - it is a very generalized term that is often used to describe the condition of patients who have not had a successful result with back surgery or spine surgery and have experienced continued pain after surgery. There are many reasons that a back surgery may or may not work, and even with the best surgeon and for the best indications, spine surgery is no more than 95% predictive of a successful result. Some people experience persistent disabling neck pain after cervical spine surgery.

The common factors that cause pain after a surgery include pressure on a nerve persisting after operation, recurrent or residual disk herniation, spinal muscular reconditioning, altered joint mobility, and joint hypermobility with instability. Sometimes the daily tasks you may have to take after the operation put too much pressure on the recovering tissue and nerve, re-opening painful areas.