The more the spine changes, the more it stays the same?
RTWMatters team
Neck X-rays show that changes to the cervical spine are common, and become more common and more pronounced with age. Like wrinkles or grey hair, however, normal spinal aging hasn't been tied to pain or disability.The study at a glance Researchers find strong links between patient age and the likelihood and extent of changes to the upper spine as seen via neck X-rays. Take-away messages Age-related changes to the spine are common. Spinal X-rays show that neck (i.e. cervical spine) vertebrae change in appearance over time: older patients have more disc degeneration than younger patients. Men and women tend to experience these changes at around the...