| Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is the most common progressive spinal cord disorder in patients over 55. Spondylosis is part of the aging process; however, in some cases its degenerative changes lead to compression of the spinal cord, resulting in myelopathy. Symptoms associated with this condition often develop insidiously and are characterised by neck stiffness, arm pain, numbness in hands and weakness of the hands and legs. Objective: To describe the diagnosis and later referral of a patient with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Also, to describe possible chiropractic interventions for managing patients not requiring referral. Clinical features: A 47-year-old male sought care for low back pain and bilateral lower limb weakness after he jumped to the floor to avoid falling from a ladder. Repeat urinalysis was positive for hematuria. MRI of the cervical and lumbar spine subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Intervention and Outcome: The patient was referred for surgical consult. Surgical decompression was performed with subsequent improvement of neurological and motor function. Patient reported that he was doing well after his surgery and also in the follow up phone call 8 months post surgery. He reported that beside occasional headaches, everything else was good and back to normal. Conclusion: Spondylosis is a common finding in the aging process. Since it may lead to cervical spondylotic myelopathy, clinicians should recognize signs and symptoms that may be present. Early detection may allow for conservative management without the need of surgical intervention. This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher; full text is available by subscription.
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