Compression of the spinal cord in the neck causing weakness, clumsiness, and balance problems. Understand the diagnosis and why timely surgery is often essential.
Cervical myelopathy occurs when the spinal cord itself is compressed within the neck, usually by a combination of disc herniation, ligament thickening, and bone spurs (osteophytes) associated with degenerative cervical disc disease. Unlike radiculopathy — which affects a single nerve root — myelopathy disrupts the spinal cord and can cause symptoms in the arms and legs simultaneously. Left untreated, the neurological damage may become permanent.
Myelopathy can be subtle in its early stages. Key findings include:
Cervical myelopathy rarely improves on its own and frequently deteriorates, sometimes in a stepwise fashion following minor injuries or events. Once the scan shows signs of damage to the cord, recovery becomes harder — which is why most guidelines recommend surgical decompression once myelopathy is confirmed.
Mr. Rath's usual approach is anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), which reliably decompresses the cord from the front and stabilises the affected levels. In select cases, a posterior endoscopic foraminotomy can relieve adjacent nerve root compression with less surgical footprint.
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