Degenerative cervical myelopathy

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is caused by age-related changes to the bones, ligaments and discs of your neck. Sometimes these changes put pressure on the spinal cord, and that can affect how the nerves work.

People with degenerative cervical myelopathy often have more than one symptom, though having just one is also common. These are the most common ones:

• pain or stiffness in the neck
• tingling or numbness in the arms or legs (often starting in the fingertips or toes), or less commonly in the body
• change or loss in manual coordination or dexterity in the hands (for example, trouble fastening buttons or tying shoelaces)
• pain, weakness or heaviness in the arms or legs
• imbalance or feeling unsteady, which may lead to falls
• difficulty walking
• change in bladder or bowel function, such as increased urgency or incontinence

Many people with degenerative cervical myelopathy have a mix of neck pain, arm pain, numbness and weakness. These symptoms can be distressing, but they don't always need urgent medical attention.

Sometimes, though, the symptoms get worse suddenly. Spotting this early and getting treatment can stop things from getting worse still.

If you feel your symptoms are slowly getting worse over time, contact your doctor and talk it through with them.

If you have degenerative cervical myelopathy, speak to your doctor urgently when any of these symptoms starts for the first time or gets significantly worse:

• changes to bladder and bowel function, like urgency, frequency, difficulty passing urine, leaking or incontinence
• changes to sensation around the bottom and/or genitals, or sexual dysfunction, like a recent inability to achieve orgasm or erection
• reduced balance or difficulty walking
• pain, weakness, heaviness or changing sensation in the arms or legs
• clumsy hands, e.g. dropping things, or struggling with handwriting, buttons or zips
• neck pain that comes with a severe headache

If your doctor's chamber is closed, phone a doctor or the 16263 health line.

• and you also feel generally unwell
• that starts when you are ill with other problems like rheumatoid arthritis and cancer

If you feel your symptoms are gradually getting worse over time, you should contact your doctor to talk about this.

A doctor needs to assess you before degenerative cervical myelopathy can be diagnosed. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and then examine you. This may include checking your strength, movement and nerve function.

Depending on what the examination shows, you may be offered an MRI scan. Sometimes you'll need a further examination as well, to rule out other causes of these symptoms.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a condition where pressure builds up on the spinal cord and can interfere with how the nerves work. There are a number of reasons this pressure can happen, including:

• age related narrowing
• significant changes to the bones, ligaments or discs in the neck

As we get older, the spine ages too. This can narrow the spaces around the spinal nerves and leave them with less room, which leads to compression.

Treatment for degenerative cervical myelopathy depends on what your doctor finds when they assess you and run the necessary tests.

Some people can manage their symptoms with self-management and by changing how they go about their daily activities. Your doctor may also talk with you about whether surgery is an option in your case.