Cervical Spondylosis Pain Management

And here's an article on Sleeping Posture Therapies for C/S.

Cervical Spondylosis ( C/S ): Sleeping Posture Therapies Explained

Following on from recent posts, I’ve decided to post a brief description of sleeping posture therapies which could be used by anyone wishing to test or explore further their usefulness in reducing the intensity of various ‘associated’ C/S symptoms. The simplicity and non-aggravational nature of these therapies means they can be used in conjunction with other physical therapies, with medicinal therapies and even with post op therapies, to achieve results sooner than current practices might predict.

To begin with, I’ll explain my C/S condition, which I’ve had, with various symptoms, for 30 years. About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with ‘multilevel degeneration’ from C3 to C7, and stenosis occurring mostly at C5/C6. This manifested as numb/clumsy hand, arm pain and reduced power in right arm and hand. At present there is little or no pain with this symptom, except occasional cramping, usually first thing in the morning, on waking. Previous to this diagnosis, I had 28 years of ‘associated’ symptoms ( headaches, stiff neck, frozen shoulders etc etc ) which I found much more difficult to deal with when compared to the actual trapped nerve symptoms which I now experience. I also still experience ‘associated’ symptoms, but to a lesser degree than before, and I put that reduction down to the sleeping posture therapies I have adopted. The idea that sleeping posture therapies can greatly affect the intensity of symptoms is key to the overall goal of rendering the whole C/S condition more manageable on a daily basis.

So, here’s a brief description of equipment used and sleeping postures required.

A)Bedding: I use a memory foam / sponge hybrid mattress ( one third M/F; two thirds sponge ), which I got direct from a manufacturer. I find sleeping on the floor best, with suitable insulation underneath mattress ( carpet or cardboard or both). It’s important to stay warm when asleep, as body temperature is inclined to drop and aches can set in. I find it uncomfortable to try and sleep on a normal raised bed, perhaps because of mild vertigo sensations. On top of mattress, m/f side up, I also use an opened up regular sleeping bag, as extra direct insulation, before my normal bed linen is placed. This system takes care of all shoulder-downwards aches, which were a constant feature with normal mattresses in the past.

B) Pillows: I use a variety of pillows, for various purposes, listed below.

1:Cervical Ortho Pillow. This is a normal feather or sponge pillow which has been stitched in such a way that there is a ridge around the outside and a soft raised section in the middle. The outside ridge reduces where the neck would meet the pillow. It’s best use is for breaking the pattern of cyclical headaches and muggy sore head feelings. Once the pattern is broken, it is usually ok to revert to a normal pillow. Probably best to say here that, when changing pillows, it can take a couple of nights for any adjustments to become noticeable, and it may even be uncomfortable until the changes occur.

2:Soft Feather Pillow. This is my normal pillow, which I wrap a cotton sheet around several times, just to soften the contact between head and any spikey feather ends. This is a good pillow for the head to sink into and it allows the neck to find it’s optimum position of least resistance. It is important for figuring out those limited positions where the neck is completely relaxed, because that will be instrumental in determining which reactive symptoms will kick in next morning. Find the right position and next days symptoms can be greatly reduced.

3: I also use a flatter feather pillow sometimes, and place it at 45 degrees across the other pillow. This allows me to nestle the shoulder into the point where the two pillows meet, and with no real heigh

Added to last post.

3: I also use a flatter feather pillow sometimes, and place it at 45 degrees across the other pillow. This allows me to nestle the shoulder into the point where the two pillows meet, and with no real height adjustment, the head can loll forwards with no strain. This can sometimes be a useful position, again mostly for headaches or muggy head. Being able to assess when the neck is most comfortable, that is, when there is no conscious awareness of any stiffness, is all important, and it will help achieve best results. It also means that the head is unlikely to shift from this position during the night, with resulting reactions next day.

4:Memory foam pillows are usually too resistant for finding these comfort zones, and are probably best avoided.

C) Sofa: This is a bit more difficult because of the need to obtain a sofa which can be slept on comfortably, and with arms at a suitable height and soft enough to allow a good sleep. The use of the pillows can be helpful here to adjust arm heights to suit. It will vary from person to person and might require some trial and error / success before determining what works best. But it is important, in that a sofa allows more upright postures when sleeping, and it is effective in breaking the patterns of cyclical aches which sleeping in a horizontal bed can be responsible for. A good test for a sofa would be that a person can stretch out fully, with no hindrance, that the arms and cushions are soft enough, and that the head, when placed on the arm, seems to be in it’s most natural position in relation to the shoulder. Appropriately positioned pillows can all help to make an unsuitable sofa more user friendly. The best thing about using a sofa is that even a one hour nap, with suitable pillow support, can completely alter the intensity or placement of the symptoms. When used properly, instant relief can be achieved. Sleeping in a bed is unlikely to achieve such results, in fact it can compound the problem by helping develop cycles of repetitive aches. Being prepared to switch between bed and sofa, when necessary, should probably be the first step in adopting sleep posture therapies.

Sleeping Postures: The theory behind sleeping posture therapies lies in the fact that the neck will restore it’s own painfree flexibility, depending on whether it perceives if there is an imminent threat to the nerve roots, which it is designed to protect, or not. If the neck assesses (when asleep) that it is in a comfortable state, with minimal threat of nerve compression, then it will automatically lessen it’s protective reactions and thus lessen any resultant symptoms. Finding the optimum sleeping positions to achieve this can mean a certain amount of trial and error / success. But, if I was to say that two months of experimenting might result in reasonable control of the intensity of all future ‘associated’ symptoms, does it start to sound attractive ?

A) Horizontal Sleeping:Horizontal sleeping, on a mattress, can be part of the cause of the extended cyclical nature of headaches, muggy sore head, frozen shoulder and arm / shoulder blade / chest pains. Breaking the cycle is all important, and having the option of using a sofa, where a more upright sleep can be achieved, can do this. Once the cycle is broken, it’s usually ok to revert to horizontal sleeping again. It might only take a couple of nights of adjustments to relieve a long standing problem.

B) Upright or Semi-Upright Sleeping: This can be experimented with using a sofa with soft pillow support. For some reason, perhaps because of the way in which the neck reads it’s own vulnerabilities when sleeping upright, certain symptoms, which just seem to get worse with horizontal sleeping, can completely disappear with a short nap on a sofa in this position. Different postures will suit different reactive aches and pains, so, again, it’s a l

Hi Friends,

Just to share my way of managing this....I am now living CS for the past 9 years and I have learned how to tackle this good friend.

First of first it’s not a disease but an abnormality in our system. For god's sake stay away from pain killers or supportive which are claimed to temporary quench?

We should learn that the pain we experience is more due to muscle stiffness caused due to CS.

Muscle stiffness is induced due to over strain, postures, food habits, emotional stuffs and stress.

Inculcate little lifestyle modification and will take care of the rest metabolically.

1.Walk and stretch every morning at least for 30minutes

2.Avoid sudden Jerks - ( Applying sudden break while driving etc)

3.Don’t bend but duck to bend forward

4.Don’t hold your berth (hodling your thumb) while lifting an object – Make inhaling andexhaling spontaneous.

5.When pain overrules, just remain calm and rest…Do not let your BP shoot…it aggravates pain. Lie down with your chest facing the ground and your chin placed on a pillow (you should look forward)

6.Avoid intake of chill stuff and junk foods.

7.Finally, Self Affirmation

Thanks.

Hi

Not so sure about the advice in previous post. Seems to miss the main aggravators...looking upwards, reaching behind etc. I agree with the idea that someone with C/S should think about their condition carefully before opting for whatever is advised...but bad advice can be a depressing waste of time.

Both myself and my wife suffer with cervical spondylosis and I recently lost my work as a result, which has in effect forced me into early retirement at 64.

Now I am living with my wife who is Thai, in Thailand SE Asia .. a great place to try first hand many of the "alternative therapies" which in most cases have their origins in this part of the world.

My wife was recently featured on Thai TV (Last week) as someone who is trying to help others overcome the pain and discomfort associated with cervical spondylosis.

As we have together, tried a great many different alternative therapies, we have put our evaluations of them on our website http://myneck.net .. these are our personal evaluations and we hope that they can help others who suffer in the same way as we do, to make informed decisions.

Graham

Dreadful ? quite the understatement. I recall a Star Trek episode where a cynical species was twisting wires into the skull of crew to observe their responses.

you would be quite right to expect MDs to understand the basic capabilities of x-rays vs MRI w/wo contrast.

but they've nearly all failed. I suspect it is an affront to their god syndrome

they probably wont have an answer for you, but our good luck is we've survived into the age where we can find each other and compare notes and have some expection of compassion, insight from our peers in sufferring, even if we're short on glimmers of hope. I suppose a positive is I've been able to function at my job as a "softie" (software engine-ear) with ALOT of support from most of my coworkers.

the biggest hurdle is how unique our pain level can be even when our MRIs can look IDENTICAL

its more than just perception, its really a factor of how much we scrape the nerve in the course of a day or night. one wrong move and WE literally pay with pain and numbness or some strange combo of pain and tingling (pingley?)

the worst is NO ONE really sees our pain (except for the rare attempt to measure electrical impulses with needles in our arms - who does this to themselves ? REALLY ! )

I say you do whatever the heck works to fight it back. I have your six.

Stay frosty

A

I have not posted for ages. In the last year I developed problems with both my arms, mainly the right one. sometimes lifting it up is difficult, the pain comes and goes. Pregabalin 'worked; for me in so far as it reduced the pain from the trapped nerve. However, just over two weeks ago I became very dizzy. Having suffered from this before usually some meds clear it up very quickly but not this time. Have had ENT consultant check me over and will have an MRI scan next month but he is 99.9% sure it is not ENT related but neurological. Am having blood tests next week to check B12 as if this is deficient the GP say's it can cause dizziness but he also thinks it is neurological too. After the b. tests then he will let me see a neurologist. I am taking legal action to seek compensation from my employer as it was through their negligence that I got this damn Spondy. as even if it was 'underlying', it was causing me NO problems till the incident at work. I feel very bitter about it as it has been life altering for me and could not have happened at a worse time (although there probably is no good time for it). I get by taking very occasional Co-codomol 30mg, maybe 1 per week; I have to be 'dying' before I will take one as per 'Gerry T N'. I don't sleep much though, it is still bad to find a good position and I wake up all the time. slept not at all, last night for this very reason. Pregabalin 'saved my life' I feel. Would highly recommend it.

Yoga help a bit, i tried it both mornings and evenings.