what can be done for arthritis in neck and cervical spine
Surgical intervention may be required for very severe cases of neck osteoarthritis. The procedures may involve removal of bone, osteophytes (bone spurs), or disc tissue which is compressing nerves of the spinal cord. Cervical fusion, or fusing the discs in the cervical region of the spine, may help stabilize the neck.
For the patient with rheumatoid arthritis, the effects of the arthritis on the cervical spine can vary from minimal symptoms to life threatening pressure on the spinal cord that requires complex surgery to stabilize the spine and reduce the pressure on the spinal cord.