Cervical Spondylosis : Mnemonic

• S – Spinal cord compression may lead to myelopathy or radiculopathy
• P – Pain in the neck, head, shoulders, and arms can be caused by osteoarthritis of the cervical spine
• O – Osteophytes, disk protrusions, or hypertrophic facet or uncovertebral joints can compress nerve roots
• N – Narrowing of the spinal canal can be caused by osteophytes, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), or a large central disk
• D – Diagnoses to consider when little or no neck pain accompanies cervical cord involvement include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord tumors, or syringomyelia
• Y – Yes, MRI is the study of choice to define soft tissues in the cervical region, including the spinal cord
• L – Legs may be affected even when cervical spondylotic myelopathy is present
• O – Optimal imaging for identifying bone pathology includes plain CT
• S – Surgery is not recommended for patients with listhesis alone, unaccompanied by dynamic instability
• I – Instability should be considered if the patient has postural neck pain, a prior history of whiplash or other spine/head injury, a Lhermitte sign, or preexisting listhesis at the stenotic segment on cervical MRI or CT
• S – Signs of myelopathy can be produced by compression of the cervical spinal cord

Mnemonic : SPONDYLOSIS