The severity of myelopathy is determined by the history, examination, imaging, and clinical scoring. A treatment plan is created considering the rate of progression. Guidelines recommend surgery or supervised structured rehabilitation for mild degenerative cervical myelopathy. If there is no improvement or progression with rehabilitation, surgery is recommended. There are no studies with a sufficient level of evidence for conservative treatment; however, rehabilitation is applied to control pain, maintain muscle strength and endurance, and improve walking. Rehabilitation alleviates symptoms and improves independence in activities of daily living; it also solves secondary problems such as neurogenic bowel and bladder dysfunction, neuropathic pain, spasticity, and osteoporosis. Conservative treatment includes bed rest, pharmacological treatment, injections, physical therapy modalities, cervical traction, exercise, and brace use.

Conservative treatment provides good results in some patients with mild myelopathy. It should not be forgotten that the patients should be followed up regularly in terms of progression. The necessity of rehabilitation should be considered in patients who cannot undergo surgery due to various comorbidities and in patients with post-operative loss of muscle strength or mobility difficulties. Anahtar Kelimeler : Degenerative cervical myelopathy, Cervical spondylotic myelopathy, Rehabilitation, Conservative, Exercise