What is cervical spondylosis? Is neck arthritis serious?

With age the water content of the discs falls and their height reduces. This narrows the space between vertebrae and shifts load onto the facet joints.

In response to increased load, bony spurs develop at the vertebral margins. These are in fact the spine's attempt to spread load over a wider area.

The process begins in almost everyone from their forties. In most people over sixty these changes are visible on X-ray, and a significant proportion of that group have no symptoms at all.

The most common complaints are morning stiffness and restricted neck movement. Clicking during movement is also frequent and not meaningful on its own.

Pain is usually felt at the back of the neck and over the shoulders, typically increasing through the day and easing with rest.

If bony spurs narrow the nerve exit canal, radiating arm pain and numbness can be added. That picture is called cervical radiculopathy and is assessed separately.

Seeing spondylosis on an X-ray does not by itself explain the symptoms. The finding is detected just as often in pain-free people of the same age.

Assessment therefore rests on examination rather than imaging. Which movement triggers pain, which direction is restricted and the state of muscular endurance are what matter.

For the finding to be meaningful it must align with the patient's symptoms and examination findings. Where the three do not align, the treatment plan is not built on the image.