The cervical spine syndrome, called cervical spine syndrome for short, describes a wide range of complaints in the area of the neck and throat, which can also spread to other regions of the body. The cause lies in the area of the seven cervical vertebrae (C1 to C7), whereby a relatively unspecific complaint pattern with multi-layered symptoms results. These range from neck and back pain to sensory disturbances and signs of paralysis.
The cause is often a damage or irritation of the corresponding nerve roots in the area of the cervical spine. Typically, physicians classify cervical syndrome according to its possible cause into functional, degenerative, and post-traumatic manifestations. Due to its numerous possible causes, cervical spine syndrome can occur in all population groups regardless of gender and age. While most cases can be traced back to harmless triggers, more serious medical conditions are responsible for less than 1 percent of all cases. Similar to the lumbar spine syndrome, the causes of the perceived pain are. Neurological complaints very versatile. Most often, however, the cause of cervical vertebra syndrome is due to a degenerative change in the spine. In such a case, doctors speak of a degenerative cervical syndrome. These signs of wear and tear occur especially in older patients as a result of age-related changes in the cervical spine. However, athletes whose cervical spine is subjected to particularly high stress can also develop cervical spine syndrome as a result of premature wear and tear.
Typical degenerative causes include, for example, the formation of bony protrusions on the vertebral bodies (osteophytes), which exert prere on the nerves and nerve roots located there. Other degenerative causes are changes in the vertebral joints (facet syndromes), changes in the cartilage structures (osteochondrosis) or spondylosis. Rarely, the symptoms can also be traced back to a herniated disc.