Help from Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic 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?
As the spine ages, bone spurs, disc breakdown, and thickening ligaments can slowly narrow the space the spinal cord needs — that's DCM. Unlike a simple pinched nerve, spinal cord involvement is more serious — and regrettably, it often goes unrecognized for months or even years.
WHY EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS SO IMPORTANT
A 2022 case report and literature review published in Cureus highlighted exactly this challenge. According to Trager and colleagues, chiropractors are uniquely positioned to catch DCM early — recognizing warning signs, performing neurological screening, and directing patients to the right care. (1) The takeaway? Your chiropractor at Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic isn't just there for back pain — our Montreal chiropractic practice may be the first provider to catch something more serious. Chiropractic physicians undergo vast training in diagnosis, neurology, and musculoskeletal medicine — including orthopedic and neurological examination, imaging interpretation, and knowing when to manage, co-manage, or refer. The diagnostic process can begin right in your chiropractor's office.
CONSERVATIVE CARE HAS A ROLE — WHEN APPROPRIATE
Not every cervical spine condition demands immediate surgery. A 2025 study in the North American Spine Society Journal found that physical therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture are all employed in handling cervical spine conditions, with various patient and provider factors guiding 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 correctly assessed.
One gentle option worth knowing about is Cox® Technic — a specialized, evidence-based chiropractic method that implements a segmented table and carefully 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 represents the kind of thoughtful, tailored care that can make conservative management a feasible first step.
Medication options for cervical spine conditions deserve careful consideration. A 2026 retrospective cohort study in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience compared gabapentin to NSAIDs for cervical radiculopathy, underscoring that treatment choices carry real safety and utilization implications. (3)
THE BOTTOM LINE, IN Montreal: CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Early diagnosis opens doors. It allows for informed conversations about whether conservative care, referral, or co-management is the right way to go — before the window for some options closes.
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 go along with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
If you have neck-related neurological symptoms, don't push them aside. Get examined. Make your Montreal chiropractic appointment soon.
