Cervical Spondylosis Treatment with Dr. Shah-Naz Khan in Flint, MI
Cervical spondylosis is age-related wear of the discs and joints in the neck, sometimes called neck arthritis. It is very common as we get older and often causes neck pain and stiffness. Cervical spondylosis treatment usually starts with non-surgical care, and surgery is considered only when the wear presses on nerves or the spinal cord.
What it is
Age-related wear of the neck's discs and joints, also called neck arthritis.
Common symptoms
Neck pain and stiffness, sometimes with arm pain, numbness, or tingling.
Who it affects
Very common with age; most people over 60 have some degree of it.
When it is urgent
Hand clumsiness, balance or walking trouble, or bladder or bowel changes.
Conservative vs surgical
Non-surgical care first; surgery for nerve or spinal cord compression.
What is cervical spondylosis?
"Cervical" means the neck, and "spondylosis" means wear of the spine. So cervical spondylosis is the normal, age-related wear of the discs and joints in your neck. It is so common that most people over 60 have some degree of it, often without much pain.
As the discs (the cushions between the bones) dry out and the joints wear, the body can form bone spurs. Usually this just causes neck pain and stiffness. Sometimes the wear narrows the space around the nerves or the spinal cord, which can cause arm symptoms or, less often, problems with the hands and walking.
Cervical spondylosis is one of the degenerative spine conditions Dr. Khan treats. See degenerative spine conditions →
Two ways it can affect nerves
What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
Most people have neck pain and stiffness. A smaller number develop nerve symptoms. The red flags on the right suggest the spinal cord may be involved and need prompt care.
Common symptoms
Common and worth a specialist review if they persist or limit your daily life.
- Neck pain and stiffness, often worse with certain positions
- Pain, numbness, or tingling that travels down an arm (radiculopathy)
- Weakness or a heavy feeling in an arm or hand
- Headaches that start at the back of the head, or a grinding sensation
Get prompt care for signs of myelopathy
These can mean the spinal cord is under pressure (cervical myelopathy). Do not wait it out; see a specialist promptly. New bladder or bowel changes or sudden severe weakness is an emergency: call 911.
- Clumsy hands, or trouble with buttons, writing, or dropping objects
- New trouble with balance or walking, or feeling unsteady
- Weakness or heaviness in the legs, not just the arms
- Changes in bladder or bowel control (a 911 emergency)
What causes cervical spondylosis?
The main cause is the normal wear that comes with age. A few factors can make it more likely or more noticeable.
Main causes
- Age-related drying and flattening of the neck's discs
- Wear of the small joints and formation of bone spurs
- Thickening of ligaments in the neck over time
- Past neck injuries
Things that can add to it
- Family history of neck or spine problems
- Smoking, which can affect disc health
- Work or hobbies with repeated neck strain or heavy lifting
- Long periods of poor neck posture
How is cervical spondylosis diagnosed?
Diagnosis starts with your history and a physical exam, then imaging that shows the neck's bones, discs, nerves, and spinal cord.
History & exam
Your symptoms plus a check of strength, reflexes, sensation, balance, and walking.
X-ray
Shows the bones, disc-space narrowing, and bone spurs in the neck.
MRI
The best test for the discs, nerves, and spinal cord, and whether they are being pressed on.
CT scan
Gives detailed bone views, useful when an MRI is not possible or more bone detail is needed.
How is cervical spondylosis treated?
Most people are treated without surgery. Surgery is considered mainly when the wear is compressing a nerve or the spinal cord.
Physical therapy & activity
Exercises, posture and activity changes, and sometimes a short course of a soft collar help many people.
Medication & injections
Anti-inflammatory medicines and, in some cases, epidural steroid injections can ease nerve pain.
Decompression & ACDF
Surgery removes what is pressing on the nerve or cord. A common option is ACDF, which stands for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
Other approaches
Depending on the case, other decompression or disc-replacement options may be considered.
Conservative first, surgery when it is needed
For neck pain and most pinched-nerve symptoms, Dr. Khan generally starts with non-surgical care. Surgery is considered when non-surgical care has not helped enough, when a nerve is clearly compressed with weakness, or when there are signs of pressure on the spinal cord.
Every case is reviewed by Dr. Khan personally, and surgery is recommended only when the benefit clearly outweighs the risk. You will get a clear, honest explanation of the trade-offs, with time for your questions. Second opinions are welcome →
What shapes the plan
Recovery and what to expect
With non-surgical care, the goal is steady improvement in neck comfort and function over weeks, along with exercises you keep doing at home to protect your neck.
After neck surgery such as ACDF, many people notice their arm symptoms ease relatively soon, and most go home within a short hospital stay. Because a fusion needs time for the bones to join, full recovery and any activity limits are guided over the following weeks to months. Your care team will explain your specific timeline. These are general patterns, not a promise about any one person's recovery.
Follow-up visits let Dr. Khan check your progress and adjust the plan as you heal.
General recovery patterns
Neck and spine care from a neurosurgeon focused on the nerves
Shah-Naz Khan, MD, FRCSC, FAANS is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon whose practice includes the full range of spine disorders, from degenerative conditions like cervical spondylosis to complex spinal problems. As a neurosurgeon, she focuses on the nerves and spinal cord, which matters most when neck wear starts to affect them.
She founded the Institute of General and Endovascular Neurosurgery in Flint, Michigan in 2014 on a simple standard: excellence, ethics, and integrity. Every case is personally evaluated by Dr. Khan, surgery is recommended only when it is truly in your best interest, and second opinions are genuinely welcomed. Explore spine care →
Why patients choose IGEN
- Board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon
- Treats the full range of spine disorders, conservative and surgical
- Every case personally reviewed by Dr. Khan, not delegated
- Surgery advised only when the benefit clearly outweighs the risk
- Second opinions welcomed
Cervical spondylosis: frequently asked questions
What is cervical spondylosis?
What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
Is cervical spondylosis serious?
What is the difference between cervical spondylosis and cervical stenosis?
When does cervical spondylosis need surgery?
Can cervical spondylosis be treated without surgery?
What is cervical myelopathy?
Do I need a referral to see Dr. Khan about neck pain?
Neck pain or arm symptoms that will not settle? Get a clear plan.
Whether you were told you have cervical spondylosis or you are still looking for answers, Dr. Khan will review your case personally and walk you through your options, from conservative care to surgery, calmly and honestly.
- Request a consultation by phone or through the contact form.
- Share any MRI, CT, X-ray, or reports you already have.
- Meet Dr. Khan for a personal review and a clear, honest plan.
- Our team will follow up to confirm your appointment .