Health & Care Information Learn all about cervical lordosis loss of cervical lordosis, reversal and treatment of it. Cervical lordosis is a condition occurring due to excess curvature of the cervical spine, which can lead to pain and discomfort. This curve is entirely normal and, in fact, desirable because it helps to stabilize the head and spine.
In a healthy spine, your neck should look like a very wide C, with the curve pointing toward the back of your neck. Cervical lordosis is when your spine in the neck region doesn’t curve as it normally should. Cervical Lordosis can affect your neck. This can lead to excess pressure on the spine, causing pain and discomfort. There are several factors that are known to cause variations in the healthy cervical lordosis. In many cases, it is an inherited condition. It can also be caused by injury and/or trauma, stress and strain to the neck.
Cervical kyphosis has its roots in a congenital defect. This means that the condition arises from genetic abnormalities, which then result in the incomplete formation or development of the backbone. Sometimes, injury or a long standing muscle spasm results in changes in normal curvature, which can lead to either straightening of the spine or excessive lordosis.
The most common symptom of lordosis is muscle pain. When spine curves abnormally muscles get pulled in different directions, causing them to tighten or spasm. If you have cervical lordosis, this pain may extend to your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Lordosis can affect people of any age. Certain conditions and factors can increase your risk for lordosis.
What is Cervical Lordosis?
Cervical lordosis is the abnormal inward curvature of the neck, pushing the head forward and causing it to sit lower toward the shoulders. It is the natural inward curve of the neck when viewed from the side so that the convexity is on the front and the concavity is on the back. The cervical spine is C shaped with its curve facing towards the back of neck. The spinal area in neck is called cervical spine and it is made up of 7 cervical vertebras. A normal healthy cervical spine has a slight lordotic curve and it is anatomically important to bear the weight of head. The condition is predominantly associated with long standing spasms of muscles in neck area. A normal cervical lordosis has 30 to 40 degree curve. Patient may complain on neck pain when the curve becomes lesser than 20 degrees. Later on if the condition remains untreated it may lead to cervical disc degeneration and lead to symptoms such as pins and needles, tingling in hands and fingers.
Loss of Cervical Lordosis
Loss of cervical lordosis can result in straightening of cervical spine or in severe cases it can reverse the curve. The condition is also called cervical kyphosis. Loss of cervical curvature usually occurs in adults. Children randomly suffer from this problem. Both men and women are equally affected. Loss of cervical lordosis is an ongoing gradual process. It is rarely a sudden phenomenon. In its beginning phase the condition remains silent. It means there are no obvious symptoms. And frequently it is detected accidentally on X-ray meant for some other purpose. However, after few months or years patient may present with complaints such as pain in neck and stiffness. Loss of cervical lordosis also leads to tension in the spinal cord and carotid blood vessels which supply blood to brain. Improper blood flow in the brain can lead to dizziness, headaches, confusion, tinnitus etc.
Reversal of Cervical Lordosis
Reversal of cervical lordosis is a frightening finding on many MRI reports and is typically an enigmatic diagnostic conclusion for patients. Actual reversal of curvature means that part of the cervical spine develops a kyphotic profile, with the open end of the curve facing anteriorly. Usually, this reversal is extremely mild, but is still very abnormal. The spinal curvature in the neck is constantly in flux to some degree. Congenital conditions and developmental conditions can have lasting effects on the natural degree of curvature typically demonstrated from patient to patient. Severe disc pathologies can facilitate a gradual loss or reversal of cervical lordosis.
Lordosis Reversal Treatment
Treatment of lordosis depends on how serious the curve is and how you got lordosis. There’s little medical concern if your lower back curve reverses itself when you bend forward. You can probably manage your condition with physical therapy and daily exercises. In more severe cases, a more stringent course of physical therapy may be recommended. Depending on the severity of the patient’s cervical kyphosis, the use of a cervical collar (informally referred to as a “neck brace”) may be prescribed.
