Dawn
Hi Charles, The only thing that helps me is traction. They listed mine once as spondylosis and once as a spondylitic spur - whatever they want to call it, the bottom line is that bone presses on soft tissue, which is what actually causes the pain and stiffness. Traction helps lift the bone off the soft tissue and gives me more relief than any of the stupid drugs or regular therapy. The problem is finding any type of doctor that prefers this over surgery, drugs, etc. I finally had to go to a chiropractor that stated he did not adjust anything that wasn't currently "out." So, instead of the usual cracking on each side in neck and back, he would locate anything not lining up, and manipulate just that vertebrae. Unlike almost every chiro I'd been to the past 20 yrs., the adjustments hurt, but actually did something. My advice is to ask your doc about some gentle traction. If he says no, start calling chiros, but talk to THEM, not the office staff, about your condition, and if they adjust everything, or single vertebra. Also, as much as it makes you feel better, you are making yourself worse with the cervical brace/collar. You are weakening the muscles in the neck, which will cause the bone to slip further into the soft tissue. This won't happen overnight, but I can personally attest to the fact that it will happen, and the problem will "feel" much worse when it does. Good luck, and let me know how it goes. D. Williams