Originally Posted by krtrame

Hello newbie here! I don't understand all the terminology regarding protruding, bulging and herniated discs. For the past 4 weeks I have had neck pain, right shoulder pain that radiates down the entire arm into the hand causing a numbing effect. I have also been having headaches. I will apologize in advance for the long post. The doctor sent me to have a MRI and the nurse called and stated I had a protruding disc pressing on the spine and I needed to see a neurosurgeon??? Here are the results:
C2-3 desiccation of disc but no significant protrusion, buldge, or stenosis
C3-4 mild disc buldge eccentric towards left. Small uncovertebral joint osteophyte on the left side. No significant stenosis
C5-6 mild broad-based disc bulge with superimposed right paracentral disc protrusion. Disc material extends back up to 2.5 mm to contact the ventral aspect of the spinal cord on right side. No significant stenosis. Appears to be minimal signal within spinal cord on right side
C6-7 no significant buldge or protrusion or stenosis
C7- T1 same as c6-7
Impression:
1.)Right paracentral protrusion at C5-6 which appears to mildly compress the ventral aspect of spinal cord right of midline. There is a focus of increased signal within the cord at the level of this compression.
2.) mild disk bulging eccentric towards left at the C3-4 level. No significant spine or stenosis.
3.) Milder disc degeneration at other cervical levels as described above

Can anyone translate this?