About DCM
According to Myelopathy.org, degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is defined as compression of the spinal cord in the neck which can lead to paralysis. DCM is a common, progressive neurological disease caused by aging, arthritis, and degenerative spinal conditions such as spinal stenosis and central disc herniation. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, more than 200,000 cervical procedures are performed each year to relieve compression on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Compression of spinal nerves leads to neurological dysfunction such as numbness, tingling, pain and stiffness in the neck and pain and numbness in the arms, fingers, or hands. Patients may experience muscular abnormalities including, but not limited to, problems with balance and walking, incoordination, muscle weakness in arms, shoulders, or hands, rhythmic muscle spasm, stiff muscles, loss of muscle, overactive reflexes, and loss of bladder and bowel control. Depending on the severity of symptoms, the options for treatment of DCM are a movement-restricting collar, physical therapy, pain relievers, muscle relaxants, and surgery. Currently, no cure exists and there is no approved medication to treat DCM.