What are the types of cervical spondylosis?

Cervical spondylosis can be divided into five types according to the clinical manifestations and signs caused by the onset site, namely, nerve root type, sympathetic nerve type, spinal cord type, vertebral artery type and esophageal compression type. The first four types are common in clinic, but esophageal compression type is rare.

(1) cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. It is mainly that the lateral kyphosis of degenerative intervertebral disc or (or) posterior spinous process stimulates or compresses the nerve roots of cervical spine, causing sensory motor dysfunction.

(2) Cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Degenerated spinous process of cervical intervertebral disc and posterior edge of vertebral body first stimulate and then compress the spinal cord, resulting in spinal cord conduction dysfunction. According to the severity, it can be divided into three degrees: degree ⅰ, mainly the damage of anterior horn cells; Second degree, mainly the damage of vertebral body bundle; ⅲ degree, spinal cord transection injury.

(3) Sympathetic cervical spondylosis. A series of reflex symptoms are mainly caused by cervical intervertebral disc or hyperosteogeny or both stimulating or compressing sympathetic nerve fibers in nerve roots, spinal cord membranes or vertebral arteries.

(4) Cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type. Mainly due to uncinate joint degeneration, hyperosteogeny, lateral disc herniation, stimulating vertebral artery, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the brain.