Cervical Lordosis refers to the area of the spine which contains the neck vertebrae. Its a C shaped curve in cervical spine. The spinal area in neck which is made up of 7 vertical vertebrae is known as Cervical Spine.
Usually the cervical lordosis looks like a very wide C in a normal and healthy spine, with the C pointing toward the back of the neck.
If the curve is healthy and normal it easily bears the weight of head and helps to stabilize the spine. But its for sure a problem if the curve turns too deep and straightens out or even bows in the other direction. In short the curve results in reverse position which is known as cervical kyphosis. Cervical kyphosis is also referred as “reverse lordosis.” In such situation where the spine is bending in wrong direction,and results in damage of Cervical Lordosis, due to this pain and stiffness in neck is been experienced by many people.
- Young individuals who have there day today working on a computer, work nonstop for long hectic hours, due to which their neck muscles don’t get rest and finally results in strain in muscles of neck. Such individuals who suffer from strain in muscles bear a pulling pressure on the cervical vertebra to which they are attached. If such pulling pressure is experienced for long duration, it actually complicate the positioning of the cervical spine.
- Impairment to cervical spine also results in damage of cervical lordosis. A sudden severe jerk or jolt caused during an accident while driving a vehicle, a direct jerk on the neck if experienced during this accident results in damage of curve of cervical spine.
- Osteoporosis is also a major cause that may result in loss of cervical lordosis as it ruins the cervical spine normal curve. Osteoporosis is actually the thinning of the bones, due to deficiency of calcium and bone protein the bone mass gets minimized. The affect of osteoporosis on a person results to fractures which are usually recovered slowly with time. It is mostly observed in older adults. The weight of human head on neck, leads a pressure on the spine which damages the curve of cervical spine.
- Obesity is also another factor that damage the curve of cervical spine. Obesity usually disturb the body’s balance and center by putting strain and weight on body, which disturbs the support and spoils the posture of neck.
- The cancer patients who undergo the cancer therapy known as Radiotherapy can also cause damage in the curve of cervical spine.
- Other uncommon factors which results in loss of cervical lordosis are skeletal disorders known as achondropasia, cervical spine tumor etc.
Symptoms of Damage in cervical lordosis
- Once it is detected at initial stage with minor symptoms, patient should consult the physiotherapist for guidance of physiotherapy exercises, which helps and focus on strengthening the muscles of neck and improvement of posture. Few neck exercises are been advised for the same. Such exercises instructs to move the neck and head sideways, and neck exercise is to bend the head forward and backward.
- If resulted in severe damage of cervical lordosis, patients are bound to wear the brace during day time and while sleeping should support pillows. It helps to recover the damage curve of cervical spine.