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Spinal discs, vertebrae, and joints are vulnerable to degenerative changes (spondylosis). While more common in the most mobile portions of the spine (neck and lower back), these changes can occur anywhere along the backbone.
What that can mean for you is chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility, affecting your quality of life. When nearby nerves are involved, you may also experience muscle weakness and sharp, shooting pain in the head, shoulders, arms, or legs.
Our multispecialty team at Coastal Spine offers treatment strategies that help manage spondylosis symptoms while improving mobility and comfort. We also focus on stalling its progression with exercise, balanced nutrition, and other spine-friendly habits.
Check these five strategies our team often recommends for relieving spondylosis symptoms.
1. Exercise and stretching
Regular physical activity is essential in managing spondylosis. Stretching and strengthening routines can improve flexibility, reduce stiffness, and support spinal health.
Walking, swimming, yoga, and other low-impact activities help maintain mobility while minimizing stress on the spine. Specific stretches targeting the neck and lower back help improve posture and reduce pain over time.
2. Physical therapy
We often recommend formal physical therapy for spondylosis. Your plan may include targeted exercises, manual manipulation, and posture correction techniques.
Regular sessions can strengthen core muscles, improve alignment, and prevent further degeneration. Additionally, therapists may use heat therapy, ultrasound, or electrical stimulation to reduce pain and inflammation.
3. Pain management
Our pain management team may start with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to temporarily relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
For severe discomfort, your Coastal Spine specialist may prescribe more advanced therapies, such as corticosteroid injections, to tackle inflammation at its source. Radiofrequency ablation is an in-office treatment that offers long-term relief, lasting several months to a year or more.
We also offer regenerative medicine techniques (i.e., PRP injections) to stimulate your body’s natural healing ability.
4. Lifestyle modifications
Specific lifestyle changes can significantly improve the management of spondylosis symptoms. For instance, maintaining good posture while sitting, standing, or working at a desk can prevent additional strain on the spine.
Ergonomically friendly chairs, support pillows, and standing desks can improve spinal alignment. Maintaining a healthy weight also reduces pressure on the spine, alleviating pain and improving mobility.
Avoiding heavy lifting and incorporating proper body mechanics when moving can prevent worsening symptoms. A spine-friendly diet with vitamins and minerals supporting bone, muscle, and nerve health is also critical.
5. Hot and cold therapy
Applying hot or cold packs to affected areas can provide immediate relief. Heat therapy, such as warm compresses or heating pads, helps relax muscles, increase blood flow, and reduce stiffness.
Cold therapy, using ice packs, numbs pain and reduces inflammation. Alternating between heat and cold is particularly effective in managing chronic discomfort by reducing muscle tension and inflammation associated with spondylosis.
Start with an accurate diagnosis and top-level medical support
Our specialists at Coastal Spine offer New Jersey residents comprehensive, customized care that fits their needs, including early diagnosis and treatment for conditions like spondylosis.
We can’t prevent aging, but we can offer you an excellent chance to live an active, pain-free lifestyle. Schedule a visit at the Coastal Spine office near you today.
