I just found your site yesterday after coming back from a doctor's appointment regarding neck pain/ paresthesia. I was in a car accident many years ago and came away with whiplash. It was on Christmas eve and I was unable to get off the couch the next morning except by rolling off. It took 12 years before I started having symptoms. They started as tinging,muscle spasms, and chest fluttering. I was so worried that I has MS as my father had passes away 6 months prior to this and he was a MS sufferer. I had an MRI that showed c 3 4 5 issues with left cord impingement, stenosis, & arthritis. This was in 2002. I just recently got a new physician and she ordered another MRI. This time it showed c 3-7 severe disc disease, cord impingement, severe narrowing (stenosis). The doctor I saw yesterday was very surprised that I didn't have balance issues, more pain, or issues with dropping things.
I will be starting PT soon as well as seeing a spine surgeon. His concern is that I could become paralyzed with only another minor car accident. Initially, he thought traction could help me but he thought better about it saying that it could make matters worse because of how severe my disc disease is. I am a runner logging 15 to 20 miles a week. I can't imagine notbeing able to do those things. Would love to hear from others who have similar stories or have already received surgery.: