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Cervical Spine Disease

Overview

Cervical Spine Disease

Cervical Disc and Facet Disease refers to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs and facet joints of the cervical spine (the neck region), often causing neck pain, stiffness, and sometimes nerve-related symptoms.

What is Cervical Disc Disease?

Cervical Disc Disease (Cervical Disc Degeneration or Herniation) is degeneration or damage of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine, often due to aging, wear and tear, or trauma.

Key Features:

Disc desiccation (drying out and shrinking of the disc)
Loss of disc height
Bulging or herniated discs (disc material protrudes and may compress nearby nerves or the spinal cord)

What is Cervical Facet Joint Disease?

Cervical Facet Joint Disease (Facet Arthropathy or Osteoarthritis) is degenerative arthritis of the facet joints—small stabilizing joints at the back of the cervical vertebrae.

Key Features:

Cartilage wear and joint inflammation
Bone spurs (osteophytes)
Joint hypertrophy (enlargement)

Causes

Cervical Disc Disease:

Aging (degenerative disc disease)
Repetitive neck motion or overuse
Trauma or injury
Cervical spinal instability
Genetics
Smoking

Cervical Facet Joint Disease:

Aging (most common)
Repetitive neck strain
Poor posture (e.g., prolonged screen time)
Trauma (e.g., whiplash)
Genetics (in predisposed individuals)

Symptoms

Cervical Disc Disease:

Neck pain and stiffness
Radiating pain into the shoulders, arms, or hands (cervical radiculopathy)
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the upper extremities
In severe cases, spinal cord compression (cervical myelopathy) with balance issues or loss of coordination

Cervical Facet Joint Disease:

Localized neck pain, especially with motion or prolonged posture
Referred pain to the shoulder blades or upper back
Stiffness, especially in the morning or after inactivity
Sometimes contributes to nerve compression alongside disc disease

Diagnosis

MRI – for disc health and nerve compression
CT scan or X-rays – to assess bone changes and facet joint condition
Physical exam – evaluating range of motion, neurological signs, and pain triggers

Treatment Options

There are three tiers of treatment options depending on the degree of your condition.

Conservative:

Physical therapy
NSAIDs or pain relievers
Muscle relaxants
Cervical traction
Postural training and ergonomic corrections

Interventional:

Epidural steroid injections
Facet joint injections or medial branch blocks
Radio frequency ablation (for facet-related pain)

Surgical (for severe or refractory cases):

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
Cervical disc replacement
Posterior decompression or fusion

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