The structure of the cervical spine subsists of
7 vertebrae, typically aligning into a minor C-shaped curvature referred to as
cervical lordosis. The curve of the cervical spine is designed to stabilize the head and spine, concurrently balancing the body. But occasionally, the
neck will develop an abnormal curve that causes the spine to lose its natural
misalignment and could result in further complications.
Abnormal Curvature
Infrequently, a normal cervical lordosis will grow an
abnormal curvature where the neck will excessively begin to curve forward,
misaligning the spine. The inward cervical curvature can make the head appear slightly pushed forward from its normal position. In other cases,
the neck can lose its cervical lordosis, rectifying the curve in the neck.
A major factor contributing to loss of cervical lordosis is bad posture. The poor posture habit of slouching, especially while sitting incorrectly for extended periods of time, builds additional stress on the neck in order to
support the spine which will ultimately cause abnormal lordosis problems. Obesity
has also been connected with causing a variation in the curvature of the neck due
to the spine being strained from carrying excess weight.
Diagnosing cervical lordosis can be challenging because there
are often no symptoms associated with the condition. The curvature of the
cervical spine changes slowly over time from bad postural habits or other conditions. Nonetheless, when the changes on the cervical lordosis are more severe or advanced,
the misalignment may begin to compress the nerve roots of the spine, leading to
pain and symptoms relating to radiculopathy. Dr. Jimenez clarifies that an abnormal neck
lordosis can be reversed after diagnosis, through chiropractic care, physical
therapy, and rehabilitation exercises apt for the grade of the condition.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
