Spondylosis

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Medical Author:

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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• Spondylosis Overview
• Spondylosis Causes and Risk Factors
• Spondylosis Symptoms and Signs
• When to Seek Medical Care for Spondylosis
• Spondylosis Diagnosis
• Spondylosis Treatment
• Spondylosis Medications
• Self-Care at Home for Spondylosis
• Physical Therapy, Exercise, and Adjunctive Therapies for Spondylosis
• Injections and Minimally Invasive Procedures for Spondylosis
• Surgery for Spondylosis
• Spondylosis Follow-up
• Spondylosis Prevention
• Spondylosis Complications
• Spondylosis Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor

Spondylosis literally means stiffening or fixation of the bony building blocks of the spine (vertebrae) as the result of a disease process. Spondylosis refers to degenerative changes in the spine such as bone spurs and degenerating intervertebral discs. Spondylosis changes in the spine are frequently referred to as osteoarthritis. For example, the phrase "spondylosis of the lumbar spine" means degenerative changes such as osteoarthritis and degenerating intervertebral discs (degenerative disc disease) in the low back. Spondylosis can occur in the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and mid back), or lumbar spine (low back). Lumbar spondylosis and cervical spondylosis are the most common. Thoracic spondylosis frequently does not cause symptoms. Lumbosacral spondylosis is spondylosis which affects both the lumbar spine and the sacral spine (below the lumbar spine, in the midline between the buttocks).

There are several medical terms that sound similar to and are often confused with spondylosis including:

• Spondylitis: inflammation of one or more vertebrae, such as in ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory arthritis of the spine. This is a very different process than spondylosis because spondylosis is degenerative while spondylitis is inflammatory.



• Spondylolysis: incomplete development and formation of the articulating part of the vertebra, the pars interarticularis. This defect predisposes to spondylolisthesis (see below) because of spinal instability.



• Spondylolisthesis: forward or backward movement of the body of one of the lower lumbar vertebrae on the vertebra below it, or on the sacrum. For example, forward spondylolisthesis of L4 on L5 means that the fourth lumbar vertebra has slipped forward on the fifth lumbar vertebra. As a result, the spine is not normally aligned.



• Spondylosis deformans: growth of bone spurs (osteophytes) or bony bridges around a degenerating intervertebral disc in the spine
  
  
• Spinal stenosis: narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing of the spinal canal limits the amount of space for the spinal cord and nerves. Pressure on the spinal cord and nerves due to limited space can cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling.

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