Cervical osteophytes are bone spurs that grow on any of the seven vertebrae in the cervical spine (neck), ranging from the base of the skull, C1 vertebra, to the base of the neck, C7 vertebra.

The cervical vertebrae are critical to supporting the cervical spine’s shape and structure, protecting the spinal cord, and facilitating head and neck movement.

A soft-tissue injury resulting from the retraction of the esophagus during surgery Decreased mobility in the cervical spine Anterior cervical spine bone spurs; these bony abnormalities are also called osteophytes See Cervical Osteophytes: Bone Spurs in the Neck Post-surgical dysphagia is typically not permanent.

Neck strain, caused by poor posture or sudden movements, can be eased with rest and exercises to address muscle or ligament damage.

Medical attention is needed for neck cracking if it's accompanied by pain, swelling, limited motion, or neurological symptoms like tingling or weakness.

The neck muscles and other soft tissues—such as ligaments and blood vessels—play important roles in the cervical spine’s movements, stability, and function.

The dens, also known as the odontoid process, is a peg-like bone pointing up from the second cervical vertebra (C2) and connects to the first cervical vertebra (C1) and enables head rotation. Crowned dens syndrome occurs when too many calcium deposits form on the bone’s surrounding ligaments, which can look like a “crown” and cause excruciating neck pain.

As spinal degeneration occurs, neck bones develop osteophytes, and soft tissues stiffen, contributing to pain and restricted movement.

The C7-T1 spinal motion segment connects the neck (cervical spine) with the upper back (thoracic spine). Together they form the cervicothoracic junction (CTJ). Important features of this junction are: The highly flexible neck transitions to an almost inflexible upper back. The CTJ is about half as flexible as the cervical spine. 1 Simon S, Davis M, Odhner D, Udupa J, Winkelstein B. CT Imaging ...

A healthy cervical spine has a natural lordotic curve, which gently curves forward from the base of the skull and then backward into the top of the chest/upper back. When the head drifts forward in poor posture: The lower cervical spine goes into hyperflexion with the lordosis curve flattening out. The upper cervical spine goes into hyperextension with the lordosis curve becoming more ...