- Spondylosis is usually asymptomatic.
- Symptoms are usually a manifestation of encroachment on local neural elements such as cervical nerve roots, spinal cord,vertebral artery or sympathetic nerves.
- The signs and symptoms deponds upon the severity of compression and the structures being compressed.
- The primary cause is the degenerative changes in the inter-vertebral disc with increasing age.
- The genetic factors ,metabolic factors ,manual labour are some important factors causing degeneration of the intervertebral discs.
- Degeneration of the inter-vertebral disc occures secondary to Osteo-arthritis,Rheumatoid arthritis,Metastatic carcinoma or lymphomas,either in the bone or vertebral column or in TB spine.
- Injuries such as automobile accidents with "Whiplash" injury ,atheletic injury and sudden jerks on the arms during fall down.
- Outgrowths of bone that sometimes occur with aging.
COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
- Most of the patients suffer eigther Radiculopathy or Myelopathy symptoms.
- Radiculopathy symptoms (compression of nerve roots originated from the cervical region) include,Pain in the neck-radiating to the shoulder,biceps,top of the shoulders ,upper arms and hands or back of the head.Crunching sounds while moving the neck or shoulder muscles.
- Numbness and tingling sensation in the arms,hands and fingers-some loss of feeling in the hands and impairment of reflexes.
- Muscle weakenss and deteriorationNeck stiffnessHead ache.
Myelopathy symptoms: (compression of spinal cord within the spinal canal) includeDizziness and unsteady gait in the earlier stage and loss of bladder control,leg weakness & Paraplegia with advanced stages.
1.Plain X-Ray of cervical spine
2.Computed Tomography (CT Scan)
3.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
6.Nerve conduction studies
1.Pain relievers (Analgesics)
2.Exercise programme(Neck muscle strengthening)
3.Cervical traction(Relieve compression)
IN SIDDHA SYSTEM:
- Cervical spondylosis is compared with Saganavatham in Siddha sysyem of medicine.
- Saganavatham is one among the 'VATHA DISEASE' described in the anciant Siddha text "YUGI MUNIVAR VAIDHYA SINTHAMANY-800".
- It is a condition dealing with the involvement of pain in the neck and upper limbs ,heaviness of the body ,depression ,giddiness ,burning eyes and constipation.
REVIEWE OF SIDDHA LITERATURES:
- All these literature were written around 2000BC.
- The causative factors for SAGANAVATHAM are clearly described by various authers in our ancient Siddha literatures.
In the ancient text "Yugi vaidhya sindhamani" , the following causes are given as follows.
1.Consumption of bitter,astringent,pungent foods in excess
2. Consumption of previously cooked foods.
3.Drinking polluted water.
4.Altered sleep rythm.
6.Lifting heavy weights.
7.Excessive lust/sexual abuse.
8.Living in chill environments.
See all the above factors which affect normal health and enhance degeneration.
In "Agathiyar Gunavagadam" also a famous Siddha literature, the following causes are given:
1.Diseases of the vertebral column and spinal cord
2.Diseases of muscle.
See the above factors which directly affect the normal bone formation.
- Beyond all above- the ancient Siddha Saints express moral education and give allert to the mankind to be honest.
In "Agathiyar Kanma Kaandam" and "Yugi vaidhya sindhamani", the following points are also discussed:
1.Cutting trees,tender leaves.
2.Breaking the legs of animals.
3.Abusing Parents / elderly people /Holy Saints.
4.Destroying public properties
5.Doing murder / theft / lustful activities
6.Refuse food & help to the destitutes and poors.
- There is a spiritual belief in our country Inida, that doing certain illegal things will affect their coming generations as un-curable diseses.
- All of us know that, there are somany diseases which cannot be cured perfectly.
- Siddha Saints express the above reasons as the cause for certain un-diagnosed severe diseases.
- Though this overcome the basic logics,Siddha Saints advise for a peaceful world.
The signs and symptoms of "SAGANAVATHAM" is described in the texts of "Yugi vaidhya sindhamani" and "Pararaja sekaram".
In "Yugi vaidhya sindhamani"........
1.Pain below neck to lowback
2.Pain both upper limbs
3.Weight feeling over the body
4.Depression and giddiness
5.Burning in the both eyes
7.Pain felt like scorpion bite over body
In "Pararaja sekaram"..........
1.Pain below neck to lowback
2.Severe pain felt in both arms
3.Numbness with tingling in the upper limbs
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS WITH SAGANA VATHAM:
The simillar diseases relevent to saganavatham are also clearly described in the ancient literatures:They include
1.KUMBA VATHAM (resembling cervical radiculopathy)
2.PAANI KAMBA VATHAM (resembling motor neuron disease )
3.SIRA KAMBA VATHAM (resembling parkinson's disease )
4.PEI VATHAM ( VBI with systemic disease )
5.KANDA KIRAAGA VATHAM ( resembling traumatic injury )
6. PINNUVAATHI VARMAM ( resembling a complicated injury over back of neck )
7.VILANGU VARMAM ( resembling brachial neuralgia )
The line of treatment to Saganavatham based on the following methods
1.To bring the altered functions of body to equillibrium
2.Treating with internal medicines and external medicines
3.Diet and advises
4.Special medicine like 'yoga' and 'massage
'IN MY CLINICAL PRACTICE':
- Eventhough I am treating various disorders at my clinic, I am very interested to treat Cervical spondylosis cases that one of my research paper in my 'Post-Graduate studies' is Cervical spondylosis.
- I have treated a number of cervical spondylosis cases of various etiology.
- First of all I use to get the proper diagnosis with MODERN INVESTIGATIONs and with thehelp of NEUROLOGISTS.
- I use to treat my patients only with Internal and external medicines and I am not treating with varma massage technics.
- During treatment,the proper instructions said in the ancient literatures are followed.
- I also advise the patients to practice YOGA and meditation.
- Treating cervical spondylosis is not an easy thing that we are not treating only the pain -but strenthening the neck muscles also preventing the patient from it's dreadful complications.
There is no doubt that SIDDHA MEDICINE HEALS cervical spondylosis with success.