[bbbirdie]

I have severe neck pain for the last 3 weeks and it radiates down to my right arm and right shoulder. My doctor sent me for a mri of the spine and these are my results.

The cervical cord is not enlarged and shows no evidence of signal abnormality.
There is a right C3-4 disc herniation resulting in encroachment on the subarachnoid space and right-sided foraminal narrowing.
There is a right C4-5 herniated disc causing encroachment upon the subarchnoid space and marked right-sided foraminal narrowing.
At the C5-6 level, there is a small left sided disc herniation causing mild encroachment upon the subarchnoid space foraminal compatible with asymmetric bulge/lateral herniation.
There is no evicendce of cord adema or neoplasm.
IMPRESSION:
1)right sided herniation discs at C3-4 and C4-5 which also result in foraminal narrowing.
2) small left herniation at C5-6
3) buldging of the C6-7 disc slightly asymmetric to the right resulting in right sided foraminal narrowing.

Is this really bad?

[glenntaj]

--it's not REALLY, REALLY bad, in that there seems to be no compression of the spinal cord proper, but compression of the foraminal space, through which the initial nerve roots pass on their way from the spine to the other parts of the body, can certainly produce symptoms in those pathways.

You've got foraminal narrowing at three levels, at least, from the disc herniations and bulges (a herniation means disc material has actually come out of the disc and is taking up space it shouldn't be) and the nerve roots there are likely inflamed and compressed, resulting in symptoms. I wouldn't be surprised if the symtpoms are worse when you turn your head to the right, also, given where these are.

Depending on the severity and the compromise to your normal daily living activities, there may be many routes of treatment, from physical therapy to anti-inflammatory injections, up to and including surgery. You do need to get a surgical consult from an orthopedic spine surgeon if you haven't done so, and let that person take a good look at the images and evaluate your symptoms.

[Leesa]

I'll tell ya what. I've got just ONE herniation at C3-4, and there are times i get such a horrible headache, I want to crawl the walls! so i put on my soft cervical collar, and it usually does the trick. but you have several herniations, so i can just about imagine!

since you have foraminal narrowing, it's got to be causing some nasty symptoms. i would probably get a referral to a neuro-spine doc if it were me. i just happen to prefer neurosurgeons. but it's all a preference. ask your doc for a referral and see what the doc recommends. but keep in mind that surgery should be a LAST RESORT because you are never the same after surgery. i've had 3 surgeries and i'm now disabled. also, pain is never a reason for surgery. best of luck and god bless. hugs, lee