Spondylosis: What It Is and How to Live With It

Spondylosis is the word doctors use for the age related wear of the spine. If you have seen it on a scan report, it can sound alarming. For most people it is an ordinary, very common change, and many people with it have no pain at all.

What is spondylosis?

Your spine is a stack of bones called vertebrae. Between them sit soft discs that act like cushions. At the back, small paired joints, called facet joints, guide how you bend and turn.

Over many years this whole system takes load. Discs slowly lose some water and height. The small joints wear. In places, the body adds extra bone along the edges, called bone spurs or osteophytes. All of this together is spondylosis. You may also hear it called spinal osteoarthritis or degenerative change.

It is a bit like the lines that form on a face. It is a sign of a spine that has been used for a long time, not a sign that it is broken.

Cervical, lumbar and spinal spondylosis

Spondylosis can show up anywhere along the spine. Two places are named most often:

• Cervical spondylosis is wear in the neck. Our guide to cervical spine bone spurs and the plain tour of cervical spine anatomy go deeper.
• Lumbar spondylosis is wear in the lower back. Read more in our guide to lumbar spondylosis, or see lumbar spondylosis with radiculopathy if your report mentions a pinched nerve.

"Spinal spondylosis" is simply the general term when more than one part of the spine is involved, or when the report does not name a level.

Why a scan and pain do not always match

Wear in the neck is close to universal later in life. According to AAOS OrthoInfo, more than 85% of people over 60 have cervical spondylosis (AAOS OrthoInfo).

Think about what that tells you. Most people past 60 carry these changes, yet most do not have a painful neck. A scan shows the shape of the spine. It cannot show how tense your muscles are today, how rested you are, or how sensitive your nervous system feels. Two people with identical images can feel very different.

So when you talk to your doctor, expect questions about your daily life and an examination, not only a look at the pictures.

What you might notice

Many people notice nothing. When there are symptoms, the usual ones are stiffness, a dull ache, and less ease turning your head or bending. These often come and go, and they are often worse after long periods in one position or first thing in the morning.

Sometimes the wear narrows the space around a nerve or the spinal cord. That is a different situation, and it needs a medical check.

Signs that need a doctor

See a doctor promptly if you notice any of these:

• Pins and needles, numbness or a weak grip in a hand or arm, or a leg or foot that feels numb or weak
• Clumsy hands, for example trouble with buttons or handwriting
• Trouble walking, or a new feeling of unsteady balance
• Any change in bladder or bowel control

Doctors use two words for these patterns. Radiculopathy means a nerve root is irritated, often with pain or tingling that travels along an arm or leg. Myelopathy means the spinal cord itself is under pressure, which can affect hands, walking and bladder. If these signs come on fast or keep getting worse, go to emergency care.

Moving comfortably with spondylosis

Medical care for spondylosis is led by your doctor, and it depends on your symptoms. Alongside that, many people find that gentle, comfortable movement and attention to how they move is a reasonable part of daily life with it.

Here, Feldenkrais® thinking can help. In a Feldenkrais® lesson you move slowly, inside an easy range, and notice how you do it. Often, a stiff neck or back has extra holding in it, such as bracing the shoulders or clenching the jaw. Noticing that habit can let you lengthen into a movement more easily, without forcing anything. Our lesson on Feldenkrais® for neck tension is a gentle place to begin.

A few simple ideas to try:

• Get up and shift position now and then, instead of holding one posture for a long stretch.
• Keep movements slow, and stay well inside what feels comfortable.
• Stop if anything sends tingling or pain into an arm or leg.
• Let your whole body join in when you turn, not only your neck.

You can read more about how habits build up in our Feldypedia article on neck and shoulder tension.

One thing to notice today

Next time you turn your head, notice where the effort starts. Does your jaw tighten? Do your shoulders lift? You do not need to change anything. Just notice, and see whether the movement feels any easier when you let go of that extra effort.

At Feldy, our short audio lessons are built around this kind of noticing, and the free trial lets you try them at home.

Common Questions about spondylosis (FAQ)

What is spondylosis in simple terms?

Spondylosis is the everyday wear and tear that builds up in the spine over the years. Discs lose some water and height, the small joints take more load, and the body may add bone at the edges. Doctors also call it spinal osteoarthritis or degenerative change.

Is spondylosis serious?

For most people it is not. It is a common part of ageing and often causes no symptoms at all. It becomes a medical matter when it presses on a nerve or the spinal cord, which can cause numbness, weakness, balance trouble or bladder and bowel changes.

What is the difference between cervical spondylosis and lumbar spondylosis?

Cervical spondylosis is wear in the neck. Lumbar spondylosis is wear in the lower back. The process is the same, but the symptoms differ. Neck wear can cause stiffness and sometimes arm symptoms, while lower back wear can cause stiffness and sometimes leg symptoms.

How often should I move if I have spondylosis?

Short, gentle moments of movement spread through the day suit many people better than one long session. Change position often, and stay inside a comfortable range. Ask your doctor what suits your own situation.

How long does it take to feel better with spondylosis?

It varies a lot. Stiffness often comes and goes over months or years, and flare ups usually settle. Nerve related symptoms are different, so have them checked rather than waiting. Nobody can give you a fixed timeline.

Can spondylosis go away, and is it the same as a slipped disc?

The wear itself does not reverse, but symptoms can and often do settle, because pain depends on more than the scan. A slipped, or herniated, disc is a different problem, where the soft centre of a disc pushes outward. Both can appear on one scan, and only your doctor can say which of them explains how you feel.

When should I see a doctor if I have spondylosis?

Book a visit if pain is not easing, or if an arm or leg feels numb, tingly or weak. Seek urgent care for clumsy hands, difficulty walking or staying steady, or new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels. Any of these may mean a nerve or the spinal cord is being squeezed.