I feel something pressing on my back, what's going on?

People who always feel like there is something pressing on their back and have difficulty breathing should be alert to whether it is caused by cervical spondylosis, because the cervical vertebrae are usually located between the head and the thorax. Cervical spondylosis can easily cause this symptom, and the incidence of cervical spondylosis is getting higher and higher. Therefore, we must also pay attention to correct prevention and care work, and you can also do appropriate exercise in your daily life. If the situation is serious, follow the doctor's advice for treatment.

1. The basic pathological change of cervical spondylosis is the degeneration of the intervertebral disc. The cervical vertebrae are located between the head and the thorax. The cervical intervertebral discs need to move frequently while bearing weight, and are prone to excessive minor trauma and strain, leading to illness.

2. The main pathological changes are: early degeneration of the cervical intervertebral disc, decreased water content of the nucleus pulposus and swelling and thickening of the fibers of the annulus fibrosus, followed by hyaline degeneration and even rupture. After the cervical intervertebral disc degenerates, its resistance to pressure and tension decreases. When affected by the gravity of the head and the pulling force of the head-thoracic muscles, the degenerated intervertebral disc may bulge outward locally or extensively, causing the intervertebral disc space to narrow, the articular processes to overlap and dislocate, and the longitudinal diameter of the intervertebral foramen to decrease. Due to the weakening of the traction resistance of the intervertebral disc, when the cervical spine moves, the stability between adjacent vertebrae decreases and intervertebral instability occurs, the range of motion between the vertebral bodies increases and the vertebral bodies have slight slippage, followed by bone hyperplasia of the posterior facet joints, uncovertebral joints and vertebral lamina, degeneration of the yellow ligament and nuchal ligament, and changes such as cartilage and ossification.

3. As the cervical intervertebral disc bulges outward, the surrounding tissues (such as the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments) and the vertebral periosteum may be lifted up, forming a gap between the vertebral body and the protruding intervertebral disc and the lifted ligament tissue, called the "interligament disc space", in which tissue fluid accumulates. Coupled with the bleeding caused by minor injuries, this bloody fluid becomes organized and then calcified and ossified, thus forming osteophytes. The relaxation of the anterior and posterior ligaments of the vertebral body makes the cervical spine unstable, which increases the chance of trauma and causes the osteophytes to gradually increase. Osteophytes, together with the bulging annulus fibrosus, the posterior longitudinal ligament, and edema or fibrous scar tissue caused by traumatic reaction, form a mixture that protrudes into the spinal canal at the site equivalent to the intervertebral disc, which may compress the spinal nerves or spinal cord. Osteophytes of the uncovertebral joint can protrude from front to back into the intervertebral foramen and compress the nerve roots and vertebral arteries.