[JAPOOTER]

Can anyone tell me what the below MRI results mean in terms that an everyday Joe can understand? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

FINDINGS: Cervical vertebrae structure and alignment is unremarkable. There is a 4mm well-defined T2-weighted hyperintensity which is hypointense on T1-weighted sequence involving C4 vertebral body and likel is benign. Cervical cord charachteristics are unremarkable. No intradural or intramedullary abnormality identified. Disc segmental is given below:

At C2-C3, there is mild left foraminal spondylotic narrowing. The right neuroforamen is unremarkable. There is no disc herniation and no evidence of central canal stenosis.

At C3-C4, there are uncinate spurrings and mild degenerative facet arthropathy. The finding cause moderate to marked right and marked left foraminal spondylotic narrowing. No evidence of disc herniation. There is no central canal stenosis.

At C4-C5, there is moderate to marked spondylotic narrowing of the left neuroforamen. The right neuroforamen is adequate. Posterior vertebral spondylosis causes ventral impression upon the thecal sac witout cord compression.

At C5-C6, there is effacement of the subarachnoid space to to generalized disc bulge, posterior vertebral spondylosis and degenerative facet arthropathy. T2-weighted sequences at this level are mildly degraded due to motion artifacts. There does not apprear to be cord compression. There is mild right and moderate left foraminal spondylotic narrowing.

At C6-C7, there is bulging of annulus fibrosis which causes mild ventral impression upon the thecal sac without cord compression. There is mild spondylotic narrowing of the left neural foramina. The right neuroforamen is adequate.

At C7-T1, there is no central canal or peripheral stenosis. No disc herniation.

IMPRESSION:

Multilevel spondylosis.

[Leesa]

Well, without going thru each level, he gives his impression at the bottom, which is multi-level spondylosis which is: Bone spurs which can cause pain, tingling, numbness, lack of coordination, feeling of fainting, trouble walking, abnormal reflexes, loss of bladder & bowel control, urinary & bowel retention. Plus the spine can be hardened & stiffened by osteoarthritis, sort of like degenerative disc disease.

These are just a list of what CAN happen, not necessarily what WILL happen, so don't freak out. LOL

I'm sorry you're having such trouble. Has he told you how you're going to be treated or what he plans on doing? Are you going to have physical therapy or anything? Let us know what his plans are, ok? God bless and hope to hear from you soon, ((((hugs)))) Lee

[JAPOOTER]

I've already tried the physical therapy with absolutely no improvement in ROM or pain relief. I have also tried cervical traction which ended up leaving me with a severe headache that lasted 4 days. Cervical traction is supposed to either provide relief or do nothing at all according to the therapist. Needless to say, I didn't attempt round 2 with that contraption. I outright refused to. I stay with a pretty bad headache, neck pain, shoulder pain, tingling numbness in my ring and pinky fingers most of the time all thanks to my neck problems and that traction idea was just not a good experience. Now I have been scheduled to visit a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor (sounds like pain management to me) and apparently the next step is to try some sort of an injection. Whether it will be focal, trigger, epidural or whatever I am not sure. That is up to him to decide. I am scheduled for that appointment next Friday but if someone cancels their appointment between now and then, they will call me in earlier. I am sure that I will not be having any sort of a procedure when I go as it seems that most of these initial visits are just consultations which really aggravate me. I am showing up to their office for a reason and it's not to sit there and discuss what I am already aware of but this is not the time nor the place for my complaints of how the system works. I will post what happens after this next appointment and go from there.

[Jomar]

The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor is probably a physiatrist.

[I stay with a pretty bad headache, neck pain, shoulder pain, tingling numbness in my ring and pinky fingers most of the time all thanks to my neck problems ]

These symptoms also can fit with a chronic RSI type syndrome called thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) for short.

If any repetitive work or previous whiplash/car accident, or other upper body hit, fall, injury is a factor TOS might be suspect. Also poor upper body postures can be a factor for TOS - head forward, hunched or rolled forward shoulders.
Especially if drs don't feel all your sx & pain are coming from your c spine.
Quite a few have c spine issues + TOS.

Just wanted to mention it in case some of those things fit.
We have a TOS forum if you want to read more about it.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

[Leesa]

Hi my friend -- most likely it will be a steroid injection. Sometimes these work, and sometimes these don't. I've had MANY of these and not ONE of them worked. The reason I had so many is because I went to 3 different pain clinics and even tho I told them that the steroid injections didn't work, they INSISTED that I have them anyway! Didn't make sense to me, but oh well.

I've talked to hundreds of people thru the years, and percentage wise, most people had no luck with them. The ones that did, got relief for a very short time. These injections are just "band-aid" procedures. They sure aren't cures.

I hope you get SOME relief somehow. Unless your spinal cord is compromised or you are at risk for permanent nerve damage I would stay away from surgery completely! I'd try every single conservative method at my disposal. Surgery begets more surgery and often leaves you in worse shape than before (that's me). So best of luck and I pray you find some pain relief. God bles and please take care. Hugs, Lee

[Silver]

Originally Posted by JAPOOTER

I've already tried the physical therapy with absolutely no improvement in ROM or pain relief. I have also tried cervical traction which ended up leaving me with a severe headache that lasted 4 days. Cervical traction is supposed to either provide relief or do nothing at all according to the therapist. Needless to say, I didn't attempt round 2 with that contraption. I outright refused to. I stay with a pretty bad headache, neck pain, shoulder pain, tingling numbness in my ring and pinky fingers most of the time all thanks to my neck problems and that traction idea was just not a good experience. Now I have been scheduled to visit a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor (sounds like pain management to me) and apparently the next step is to try some sort of an injection. Whether it will be focal, trigger, epidural or whatever I am not sure. That is up to him to decide. I am scheduled for that appointment next Friday but if someone cancels their appointment between now and then, they will call me in earlier. I am sure that I will not be having any sort of a procedure when I go as it seems that most of these initial visits are just consultations which really aggravate me. I am showing up to their office for a reason and it's not to sit there and discuss what I am already aware of but this is not the time nor the place for my complaints of how the system works. I will post what happens after this next appointment and go from there.

Silver here, I know that therapy works dififferent on everyone, depending on your medical needs. Have you tried water therapy? A twenty minute soak in a whirpool tub, a twenty minute massage, then 1 hour in warm water (a pool) up to your neck doing slow stretches...this everyday for 3 weeks...wow..everyday the pain got better and better...just helped me is all I'm saying...Good luck.

[JAPOOTER]

Originally Posted by Silver

Silver here, I know that therapy works dififferent on everyone, depending on your medical needs. Have you tried water therapy? A twenty minute soak in a whirpool tub, a twenty minute massage, then 1 hour in warm water (a pool) up to your neck doing slow stretches...this everyday for 3 weeks...wow..everyday the pain got better and better...just helped me is all I'm saying...Good luck.

I haven't tried water therapy. It hasn't been brought up yet as an option. I called the place where I am scheduled to go this Friday just to get an idea of what I was actaully going to be going there for. They told me that the first appointment, such as this is, will be an assessment visit with the doctor and then he will decide on the options for treatment. Perhaps water therapy will be something he suggests though I have a feeling I am going to see this doctor for an injection of some sort as the doctor that referred me to this new doctor suggested that I try the injections as a next step.

[JAPOOTER]

Today I had the consultation with the new Doctor at the Spine Institute. Ended up getting a cortisone injection in each shoulder and so far so good with the shoulder pain. These injections USUALLY work well for me. I've had them before while I was in the Army. No time for recuperation from an injury - shoot them up and keep on going! That's where I came up with the idea to call it Fix A Flat. (LOL) Anyways, the Doctor decided that I need to have a nerve test done Monday because I either have 1 problem causing all the pain and numbness/tingling symptoms or I have 3 separate problems. He said that there is a possibility that I pass the nerve test and it won't tell him what he's looking for specifically. If by chance that happens then we'll have to try something more invasive, he said. He did try the Trigger Point Injection today (7 shots in all - 3 on the right and 4 on the left) just to see if it would release the knotted muscles any. Not sure if it really worked as the injection sites are very tender but I do know my headache is nowhere near as bad as it has been so I am hoping for good results from today's visit but I am also not holding my breath for lasting results. I'll just take it day by day.

[Silver]

Originally Posted by JAPOOTER

Today I had the consultation with the new Doctor at the Spine Institute. Ended up getting a cortisone injection in each shoulder and so far so good with the shoulder pain. These injections USUALLY work well for me. I've had them before while I was in the Army. No time for recuperation from an injury - shoot them up and keep on going! That's where I came up with the idea to call it Fix A Flat. (LOL) Anyways, the Doctor decided that I need to have a nerve test done Monday because I either have 1 problem causing all the pain and numbness/tingling symptoms or I have 3 separate problems. He said that there is a possibility that I pass the nerve test and it won't tell him what he's looking for specifically. If by chance that happens then we'll have to try something more invasive, he said. He did try the Trigger Point Injection today (7 shots in all - 3 on the right and 4 on the left) just to see if it would release the knotted muscles any. Not sure if it really worked as the injection sites are very tender but I do know my headache is nowhere near as bad as it has been so I am hoping for good results from today's visit but I am also not holding my breath for lasting results. I'll just take it day by day.

Praying things will get better and they can come up with answers for you soon. I had a nerve and Muscle test. and my neurologist preformed this, unlike most people I've talked to, mine was finger tip to toe .. both sides...it was unconfortable but not bad, do you know if a neuro is doing yours? Silver

[JAPOOTER]

Originally Posted by Silver

Praying things will get better and they can come up with answers for you soon. I had a nerve and Muscle test. and my neurologist preformed this, unlike most people I've talked to, mine was finger tip to toe .. both sides...it was unconfortable but not bad, do you know if a neuro is doing yours? Silver

The same doctor that I seen Friday did the nerve test today. All he was checking for was to see if the tingling and numbness in my fingers was maybe being caused by a pinched nerve in my neck or if it was coming from my wrists such as the onsetting of carpel tunnel syndrome so the test was only from sholder to finger tip. Left side was normal and my right side is .3dB from being considered with carpel tunnel. (I believe he said it was .3dB being that a nerve test is noise in the muscles I am sure that is what I heard). He said that passing the test was both good and bad news. It's good becasue I passed but it's bad becasue now he cannot narrow down the cause further yet. So with that being said, he doesn't know what is causing the tingling and numbness in my fingers but we decided not to worry about it right now because it's not painful.

My shoulders took the cortisone injections well and feel pretty good for now so we are going to focus on the neck only for now. The trigger point injections I received Friday seemed to have helped. My headache let up to a point that I could actually concentrate on something so that is a plus. Today I received 6 more trigger point injections on the left side of my neck as he decided to stay away from the right today because after the injections on Friday, I woke Saturday moring with a major knot in my right shoulder. By the afternoon it had released itself. Doctor said that could have been a residual effect of the injections and just decided not to go onto that side today with any other injections. He said for now he feels that we may be on to something so long as these injections keep giving me some relief. He said that if they quit working the next steps are more invasive. I chose to end that conversation for now and said that we could resume if it would have to come to that later. I sort of don't want to know a next step at this point. For now I am satisfied with what is going on.

He said he would call me in a few days and see how I am feeling and schedule me for additional trigger point injections if I think they are needed. 3 days in between visits really isn't a long enough track record to determine if these trigger point injections are working or if they will continue to work so we'll just see what happens later this week without having any more until then at least. I certainly hope this type of treatment continues to help. I know that I have read a lot of blogs and such on these sort of treatments and they don't seem to have a very long lasting effect on a lot of people but I seem to be having fairly good luck with it so far. Only time will tell. I'll update as things change for better or worse. Take care.