What Is the Treatment for the Loss of Cervical Lordosis?
As of 2015, treatment options for the loss of cervical lordosis include controlling pain with mild medications, physical therapy, neck braces and surgery, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Whether the condition creates pressure on the spinal cord affects the physician's treatment recommendations. In cases of spinal cord pressure, or when the condition is congenital, physicians usually recommend surgery.
Doctors perform surgery when pressure on the spinal cord is causing neurological problems or the deformity is flexible, meaning it is worsening, explains University of Maryland Medical Center. A spinal fusion combined with segmental instrumentation is the typical surgical treatment for cervical kyphosis. During the procedure, surgeons straighten the spine by inserting a metal rod or plate that aligns and holds it. Surgeons may need to release spinal cord pressure by operating from the front, as well as operating from the back to fuse the spine and prevent future loss of cervical lordosis.
Physical therapists develop personal exercise programs to treat cervical kyphosis patients whether they undergo surgery or not, notes University of Maryland Medical Center. Rehabilitative neck exercises and patient education can alleviate many neck pain problems and teach patients how to protect themselves from cervical spine injuries.