Neck osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and stiffness in the neck. Especially as we get older, the joints and intervertebral discs in the neck can gradually change. Yet not everyone with neck osteoarthritis automatically develops symptoms. When there are neck pain arise, they can have quite an impact on daily life. Think difficulty turning the head, radiating pain to the shoulders or headache from the neck.
In this article, you will read what exactly neck osteoarthritis is, what symptoms are common, what you can do to reduce the symptoms and when it is wise to seek help.
What is neck osteoarthritis?
Neck osteoarthritis is wear and tear of the joints in the cervical spine. The medical term for this is cervical osteoarthritis or cervical spondylosis. The neck contains several small joints that allow you to move your head smoothly. Ageing, long-term overuse or a combination of factors can cause these joints to change. Cartilage becomes thinner, mobility decreases and sometimes bone protrusions develop.
This often sounds more serious than it needs to be in practice. In fact, wear and tear in the neck is common, even in people who experience little or no pain. Complaints usually only arise when the joints become stiffer, surrounding muscles become overloaded or nerves are stimulated.
What are the symptoms of neck osteoarthritis?
The symptoms of neck osteoarthritis can vary from person to person. Some people mainly experience stiffness, while others experience more pain or radiation to the arm.
Common complaints are:
- pain or a nagging feeling in the neck
- stiffness, especially after sleeping or sitting in the same position for a long time
- difficulty turning or tilting the head
- headache that appears to come from the neck
- pain radiating to the shoulders, between the shoulder blades or arms
- a crackling or chafing sensation when moving
- sometimes tingling, numbness or loss of strength in arm or hand
The latter in particular may indicate that a nerve in the neck under pressure. In that case, it is wise to take complaints seriously and have them properly assessed.
What does neck osteoarthritis feel like?
People with neck osteoarthritis often describe their symptoms as a stiff, tired or nagging neck. For some, the neck literally feels “tight”. Others notice that the neck becomes more sensitive after a working day at a computer, after driving a car or when there is a lot of tension on the muscles.
The symptoms can vary. One period, the neck is relatively calm, while in another, incorrect movement, stress or overexertion causes more pain.
What causes the complaints?
It is not the wear and tear itself that always causes pain. Often several factors play a role simultaneously. The joints in the neck cannot move as smoothly, so surrounding muscles have to work harder. Those muscles become tense and tired faster. There may also be irritation of a nerve or of the small joints in the neck.
Long-term same posture, little exercise, stress and reduced muscle condition can intensify the symptoms. Therefore, it is important to look not only at the osteoarthritis itself, but also at the way the neck is loaded in daily life.
What can you do about osteoarthritis in the neck?
Neck osteoarthritis is usually about reducing symptoms and improving mobility and load capacity. A combination of exercise, targeted counselling and good habits in daily life often gives the best results.
Keeping calm is usually more important than taking complete rest. Many people find that the neck actually gets stiffer when they relieve it too much. Light, controlled movement often helps to keep the joints more flexible and reduce muscle tension.
In addition, it is good to look at posture and strain. Working bent over for long periods, looking at a phone a lot or sitting tensely at a desk can put extra strain on the neck. Small adjustments in workplace, posture and variation during the day can make a big difference.
Targeted treatment can also be useful. Chiropractic can help improve the mobility of the spine and reduce tension in the neck and shoulders. This involves looking not only at the pain spot itself, but also at how the neck, upper back and shoulders working together. It is precisely this broader approach that is important when complaints keep recurring.
Is neck osteoarthritis dangerous?
Neck osteoarthritis is not usually dangerous, but it can cause annoying and persistent symptoms. Many people have wear and tear in the neck without causing serious problems. It only becomes important to be extra vigilant when there is increasing tingling, numbness, loss of strength in arm or hand or problems with balance and coordination.
These are signs that nerves may be involved. In such cases, it is wise not to carry on with symptoms for too long, but have an expert assessment done.
Is neck osteoarthritis curable?
Neck osteoarthritis itself cannot be reversed. The wear and tear present in the joints usually does not disappear. However, that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it. Many people can significantly reduce their symptoms and regain better use of their neck with the right approach.
So the focus is not so much on curing osteoarthritis, but on improving function, reducing pain and increasing load capacity. In other words, even if osteoarthritis remains visible, you can often feel much better in everyday life.
What shouldn't you do if you have osteoarthritis?
With osteoarthritis, there is usually no need to avoid everything, but there are things that can aggravate symptoms. Sitting in the same position for long periods of time is often unfavourable, as are sudden, forced movements when the neck is already very sensitive. Staying in pain all the time without recovery time is also usually counterproductive.
What you had better not do is stop moving altogether out of fear. In fact, too little movement often causes the neck to stiffen and muscles to weaken. So it's all about finding the right balance: moving enough, but not forcing it.
When to seek help?
It is wise to seek help when neck pain is prolonged, recurs regularly or limits you in work, sleep or daily activities. A proper assessment is also important if you have radiation to the arm, experience tingling or notice you have less strength.
A chiropractor can examine how the neck moves, where overuse occurs and which structures are perpetuating the symptoms. Based on this, a personalised treatment plan can be drawn up, aimed at restoring function and reducing pain.
Frequently asked questions
What are the symptoms of neck osteoarthritis?
The most common symptoms are neck pain, stiffness, difficulty moving, headache from the neck and sometimes radiating pain to shoulders or arms. In some cases, tingling or loss of strength also occurs.
What can you do about osteoarthritis in the neck?
Keep moving, avoid prolonged overuse and have the neck assessed when symptoms persist. Targeted treatment and exercises can help reduce pain and improve mobility.
Is neck osteoarthritis dangerous?
Usually not. However, it is important to take complaints seriously if tingling, numbness, loss of strength or balance problems occur.
Is neck osteoarthritis curable?
The wear and tear itself cannot usually be reversed. However, the symptoms can often be influenced well, which can make your neck feel smoother and you experience less pain.
What shouldn't you do if you have osteoarthritis?
Avoid prolonged sitting still, forced movements and constant overexertion. Stopping exercise altogether is usually not a good choice.
Neck arthritis does not have to mean that you just have to learn to live with pain and stiffness. It is precisely by looking in time at the cause of the symptoms and the way your neck is loaded that a lot can often be gained. A targeted, personalised approach can help you move more freely again and take up your daily activities with more confidence.
