Spondylolisthesis in the Neck and Cervical Nerve Compression
Spondylolisthesis in the neck, or displacement of the cervical vertebrae, is usually a result of traumatic injury or the gradual development of small fractures within the vertebrae. Vertebral slippage is much more common in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine than in the cervical (neck) region. However, fractures to a small bony segment (known as the pars interarticularis) adjacent to vertebral joints can cause one cervical vertebra to slip out of place on top of another. This can produce symptoms that include neck stiffness, focal pain, radiating pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness in the upper body. Read more