Spondylosis

The key thing to understand is that spondylosis is extremely common on scans of people with no symptoms at all, and it becomes more common with every decade. It is closer to grey hair than to a disease: a description of change over time rather than of damage.

What it feels like

Where it does cause symptoms: neck stiffness, particularly in the morning, aching that comes and goes, reduced ability to turn the head, and sometimes headaches. Where a nerve is affected, symptoms may travel into an arm.

Many people are told they have spondylosis after a scan taken for an unrelated reason and have never had neck pain.

Why it happens

Age, largely. Genetics contribute. Cumulative loading over decades plays a part. It is not caused by having sat badly at a desk, though sustained loading can influence how symptomatic it becomes.

How we treat it

The structural changes cannot be reversed and we will not suggest otherwise. What can be improved is how much pain and stiffness come with them, and how much movement you have, and those often improve substantially.

What to expect

Assessment will separate what is due to the structural change from what is due to stiffness and weakness that can be worked on. Most people find more of their symptoms fall into the second category than they expected.

How long it takes

Symptoms often improve over weeks. Managing spondylosis tends to be ongoing rather than a single course, in the sense that maintaining movement and strength matters continuously.