Spondylosis Treatment in Kentucky & Indiana
Spondylosis is the general, age-related degeneration of the spine affecting the discs, joints and bones. It is technically a form of osteoarthritis — spinal osteoarthritis, to be exact — which is why it is often called spinal arthritis. Most people associate arthritis with the hands and knees, but the vertebrae and the facet joints connecting them are subject to the same wear-and-tear process.
Spondylosis is named for where it occurs: cervical in the neck, thoracic in the mid-back, lumbar in the lower back. The underlying process is the same in all three.
Most people develop some degree of spondylosis with age, and a great many never have symptoms from it. When it does cause pain, stiffness or nerve symptoms, it is highly treatable — and the large majority of patients never need surgery.
At Aptiva Health, spine evaluation, imaging, physical therapy, interventional pain procedures and surgery are all part of one organization and one record. No physician referral is required, and same-day walk-in appointments are available for new spine injuries.
Medically reviewed by Michael Casnellie, MD, David McConda, MD, and Jaideep Chunduri, MD on July 22, 2026.
Schedule your appointment today!
What Causes Spondylosis
As people age, the bones and cartilage of the spine develop wear and tear. Four changes drive most spondylosis:
Dehydrated discs. Discs act as cushions between the vertebrae. By around age 40, most people's spinal discs begin drying out and shrinking, which allows more bone-on-bone contact.
Disc herniation. Age affects the outer wall of the disc as well. Cracks appear, leading to bulging or herniated discs, which can press on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Bone spurs. Disc degeneration often prompts the spine to produce extra bone in a misguided attempt to stabilize itself. These bone spurs can pinch the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Stiff ligaments. Ligaments connect bone to bone. Spinal ligaments stiffen with age, reducing flexibility throughout the affected region.
Risk rises with age over 40, repetitive or heavy occupational lifting, prior spine injury, smoking, and family history of degenerative spine disease.
Spondylosis by Region
Cervical Spondylosis (Neck)
Cervical spondylosis is age-related wear and tear affecting the discs in the neck. As the discs dehydrate and shrink, osteoarthritic changes develop, including bone spurs along the edges of the vertebrae. It is very common and progresses with age — more than 85 percent of people older than 60 are affected.
When the degeneration narrows the space needed by the spinal cord or the nerve roots, symptoms may include:
Neck pain or stiffness, often the main symptom, typically worse with neck movement
A nagging soreness in the neck
Muscle spasms
Clicking, popping or grinding with neck motion
Dizziness
Tingling, numbness and weakness in the arms or hands
Thoracic Spondylosis (Mid-Back)
Thoracic spondylosis affects the vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs of the mid-back. As the discs dry out, extra bone (osteophytes) gathers around the vertebrae and can irritate surrounding structures.
Symptoms may include:
Mid-back pain or stiffness, typically worse with trunk movement
A nagging soreness across the mid-back
Muscle spasms
Clicking, popping or grinding with movement
Tingling, numbness and weakness in the arms, hands, legs or feet
The last three symptoms can indicate spinal cord compression and warrant prompt evaluation.
Lumbar Spondylosis (Lower Back)
Lumbar spondylosis is wear and tear of the lower back discs and joints. As the discs lose moisture and shrink, bone spurs develop and the vertebrae become weaker.
Symptoms may include:
Low back pain or stiffness, typically worse with torso movement
A nagging soreness in the lower back
Muscle spasms
Clicking, popping or grinding with torso motion
Tingling, numbness and weakness in the legs or feet
Lumbar spondylosis frequently coexists with spinal stenosis, sciatica and spondylolisthesis.
Spondylosis vs. Spondylolisthesis vs. Spondylolysis: What's the Difference?
Many patients are confused by the terms spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, and spondylolysis because they sound almost identical. Although they involve the spine, they are very different conditions with different causes and treatments. Understanding the difference can help you better understand your diagnosis and the treatment options recommended by your spine specialist.
What is Spondylosis?
Spondylosis is the medical term for age-related wear and tear of the spine. It refers to degenerative changes affecting the spinal discs, facet joints, and vertebrae.
Common imaging findings include:
Disc space narrowing
Bone spurs (osteophytes)
Arthritis of the facet joints
Degenerative disc disease
Spondylosis most commonly develops as people age and can occur in the neck (cervical spine), mid-back (thoracic spine), or lower back (lumbar spine). Many people have spondylosis without symptoms, while others experience chronic neck pain, back pain, stiffness, or nerve compression.
What is Spondylolysis?
Spondylolysis is a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis, a small section of bone located in the back of a vertebra.
It is most commonly seen in:
Young athletes
Gymnasts
Football players
Divers
Weightlifters
Individuals participating in sports that involve repeated back extension
Many patients with spondylolysis improve with rest, physical therapy, activity modification, and bracing. If the fracture becomes unstable, it may eventually contribute to vertebral slippage.
What is Spondylolisthesis?
Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra beneath it.
Several conditions can cause this slippage, including:
Degenerative spondylosis
Spondylolysis
Congenital abnormalities
Trauma
Previous spine surgery
Symptoms may include:
Low back pain
Leg pain (sciatica)
Numbness or tingling
Weakness
Difficulty standing or walking
Treatment depends on the amount of slippage, symptoms, and whether nerves are being compressed.
Can These Conditions Occur Together?
Yes. These conditions frequently overlap.
For example, degenerative spondylosis is one of the most common causes of spondylolisthesis in older adults. Likewise, a pars fracture (spondylolysis) can lead to spondylolisthesis in younger patients.
Because symptoms often overlap, X-rays, CT scans, and MRI imaging are used to determine the correct diagnosis.
How Spondylosis Is Diagnosed
Diagnosis begins with a thorough physical examination by a spine specialist, who will assess range of motion, reflexes, strength and sensation to determine whether nerve involvement is present.
Imaging then confirms the diagnosis and identifies the specific level and structure involved:
X-ray shows disc space narrowing, bone spurs and alignment
MRI shows discs, ligaments, the spinal cord and nerve roots, and is what identifies compression
EMG measures nerve function when symptoms suggest a pinched nerve
Aptiva Health provides imaging in-house, including cash-pay MRI with transparent pricing, so you know the cost before the scan rather than after.
Spondylosis Treatment Options
Treatment depends on which region is affected, how advanced the degeneration is, and whether nerves are involved. Our spine team builds an individualized plan aimed at relieving symptoms, restoring function and slowing progression. Most patients are treated without surgery.
Non-Surgical Treatment
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs)
Activity modification
Epidural steroid injections — cervical, thoracic or lumbar
Radiofrequency ablation for longer-lasting relief when medial branch blocks confirm the pain source
Injections are performed by our Interventional Pain team, in the same organization as your spine physician and your physical therapist.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is considered when degeneration is compressing the spinal cord or a nerve root and producing progressive neurological symptoms, or when conservative treatment has not restored function. Our spine team performs these procedures using minimally invasive techniques wherever possible.
Cervical spine:
Spinal decompression surgery
Foraminotomy
Thoracic spine:
Spinal decompression surgery — removes the cause of compression, such as a bone spur or herniated disc
Discectomy — removes the injured disc
Laminectomy — removes bone spurs from the lamina, the arch at the back of a vertebra
Laminoplasty — repositions the lamina to create more room for nerve tissue
Minimally invasive spinal fusion
Lumbar spine:
Spinal decompression surgery
Laminoplasty
Why Patients Choose Aptiva Health for Spine Care
No referral required. Book directly with a spine specialist.
Same-day walk-in evaluation for new spine injuries through Immediate Injury Care.
Cash-pay MRI with transparent pricing. The price is quoted before the scan.
Conservative care, injections and surgery under one roof. You are not referred out and re-evaluated from scratch at each step.
Outpatient surgical capability, typically at lower cost than a hospital outpatient department.
Where We Treat Spondylosis
Aptiva Health treats shoulder injuries and conditions across our network of locations in Kentucky and Indiana. One call connects you to any of our locations: 1-844-999-3627 (DOCS).
Louisville Metro
Spine Center of Excellence — 3615 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218
Aptiva Health — Louisville East — 10100 Linn Station Road, Suite 1A, Louisville, KY 40223
Aptiva Health — Louisville Downtown — 300 South 13th Street, Louisville, KY 40203
Aptiva Health — Louisville Middletown — 401 N English Station Road, Suite 1A, Louisville, KY 40223
Aptiva Health Imaging (Louisville) — 3615 Newburg Road, Suite 106, Louisville, KY 40218
Concussion & Sports Medicine Institute — 3611 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218
South of Louisville
Lexington / Central Kentucky
Aptiva Health — Lexington — 230 Fountain Court, Suite 180, Lexington, KY 40509
Aptiva Health Lexington MRI — 426 Codell Drive, Lexington, KY 40509
Aptiva Health Lexington Physical Therapy — 152 W Tiverton Way, Suite 180, Lexington, KY 40503
Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati Metro
Indianapolis
Main scheduling line for all locations: 1-844-999-3627 (DOCS)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is spondylosis?
Spondylosis is the general, age-related degeneration of the spine affecting the discs, joints and bones. It is technically a form of osteoarthritis, which is why it is often called spinal arthritis. It can occur in the neck (cervical), mid-back (thoracic) or lower back (lumbar), and most people develop some degree of it as they age.
Is spondylosis the same as arthritis?
Yes. Spondylosis is osteoarthritis of the spine. Most people associate arthritis with the hands and knees, but the vertebrae and the facet joints that connect them are subject to the same wear-and-tear process, and the resulting cartilage loss and bone spur formation is what spondylosis describes.
What is the difference between spondylosis, spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis?
These three terms sound alike but describe different problems. Spondylosis is degenerative arthritis of the spine. Spondylolysis is a stress fracture in a small segment of a vertebra, most common in young athletes. Spondylolisthesis is when one vertebra slips forward over the one beneath it. They can occur together, and imaging is what distinguishes them.
Is spondylosis serious?
For most people it is not. Spondylosis is extremely common and often causes no symptoms at all, showing up incidentally on imaging ordered for another reason. It becomes a clinical concern when the degeneration narrows the space around the spinal cord or nerve roots. Warning signs that warrant prompt evaluation include progressive weakness in the arms or legs, difficulty walking or loss of coordination, and any change in bladder or bowel control.
Can spondylosis be cured or reversed?
The underlying degenerative changes cannot be reversed, but that is not the same as saying nothing can be done. Symptoms are highly treatable, and the goal of treatment is to relieve pain, protect function and slow progression. The large majority of patients are managed successfully without surgery through physical therapy, activity modification, medication and targeted spinal injections.
What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
The most common symptoms are neck pain and stiffness that worsen with movement, a nagging soreness in the neck, muscle spasms, and clicking, popping or grinding sounds with neck motion. Some patients also experience headaches, dizziness, and tingling, numbness or weakness in the arms or hands when a nerve root or the spinal cord is compressed.
Does spondylosis require surgery?
Usually not. Surgery is considered when the degeneration is compressing the spinal cord or a nerve root and producing progressive neurological symptoms, or when several months of conservative treatment and injections have failed to restore function. When surgery is indicated, most spondylosis procedures can be performed using minimally invasive techniques.
Do I need a referral to see a spine specialist at Aptiva Health?
No. Aptiva Health does not require a physician referral. You can schedule directly with a spine specialist, and cash-pay MRI is available with transparent pricing if imaging is needed to confirm the diagnosis.