Cervical Myelopathy

The term myelopathy refers to problems affecting the spinal cord. Most frequently this occurs in the neck (cervical) region from degeneration (arthritis). Typical symptoms include loss of balance, unsteadiness when walking, diminished hand function as well as weakness, numbness and tingling in both the arms and legs. In many circumstances the problem progressively worsens and eventually the changes can become permanent. Timely treatment is important to limit the damage and provide the best chance for recovery.