Help from Hollstrom & Associates Inc for Cervical Spine Myelopathy: From Diagnosis to Gentle Care
When everyday tasks start feeling harder — buttoning a shirt, holding a cup, walking steadily — your neck may be at the root of it. Together, these may be early warning signs of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) [aka cervical spine myelopathy (CSM)] — a condition that's often missed until it becomes more difficult to treat.
WHAT IS CERVICAL MYELOPATHY?
DCM arises when the spinal cord in the neck is gradually squeezed by age-related changes — bone spurs, thickened ligaments, or degenerating discs. Unlike a basic pinched nerve, spinal cord involvement is more serious — and unfortunately, it often remains unknown for months or even years.
WHY EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS SO IMPORTANT
A 2022 case report and literature review published in Cureus emphasized exactly this challenge. Trager and colleagues made the case that the chiropractic office is a natural first checkpoint for DCM — where red flags get recognized, neurological screening gets done, and referrals happen at the right time. (1) The takeaway? Your chiropractor at Hollstrom & Associates Inc isn't just there for back pain — our Largo chiropractic practice may be the first provider to find something more serious. Chiropractic physicians go through vast training in diagnosis, neurology, and musculoskeletal medicine — including orthopedic and neurological examination, imaging interpretation, and knowing when to manage, co-manage, or refer. You don't have to wait for a specialist to get answers started.
CONSERVATIVE CARE HAS A ROLE — WHEN APPROPRIATE
Not every cervical spine condition requires immediate surgery. A 2025 study in the North American Spine Society Journal found that physical therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture are all utilized in handling cervical spine conditions, with various patient and provider factors influencing which route is chosen. (2) For milder cases, conservative management may be a reasonable starting point — but only when the diagnosis is clear and the severity is properly assessed.
One gentle option worth having knowledge of is Cox® Technic — a specialized, evidence-informed chiropractic method that uses a segmented table and gently controlled, low-force flexion-distraction movements. For appropriate patients, it offers a way to address cervical spine symptoms without the forceful manipulation that concerns some folks. It's not right for every case, but in the hands of a trained chiropractor, it denotes the kind of thoughtful, individualized care that can make conservative management a viable first step.
The medication conversation is one worth having thoughtfully and with full detail.56 A 2026 retrospective cohort study in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience compared gabapentin to NSAIDs for cervical radiculopathy, stressing that treatment choices carry real safety and utilization implications. (3)
THE BOTTOM LINE, IN Largo: CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
Catching this early changes what's possible. It allows for informed conversations about whether conservative care, referral, or co-management is the right path — before the window for some options shuts.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares two cases of cervical spine myelopathy and their management along ideas for management and referral that coincide with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
If you're experiencing neck-related neurological symptoms, don't brush them off. Get checked out. Schedule your Largo chiropractic appointment today.
