Hi there. I usually post on the peripheral neuropathy forum but this time I have a few questions about recent MRIs of sacral lumbar spine and cervical spine - hoping someone can tell me what course of action I should consider taking, if any.

I found out the other day that I have a herniated disc in the L5/S1 which is touching my left sacral nerve and causing some narrowing. This was no surprise to me and a relief to my physiotherapist who was concerned I might have Cauda Equina Syndrome.

What I have been more surprised by is that, when I collected print outs from my GP (I’m in Scotland, UK) of these scan reports to take to a neuro physio - I discovered a report from my cervical MRI. I have Sjögren’s Syndrome and Hashimoto’s so have been seeing neurologists for a few years. The first MRI was done 3 and half years ago and reported as some possible root involvement in the C5.

I’m a 55 year old woman with a rheumatic disease and widespread small fibre neuropathy. When I tried to report that both arms were full of parasthesia and becoming increasingly weak and lifeless during periods of stillness/ rest my neurologist just laughed at me and said I was overthinking. She wrote in her letter about me that she was concerned I have “some heightened health awareness”. Yes I do because I’m struggling to turn in bed now because my left arm feels so weak. She promised to check out MRIs from 2016 even though the numb, weak my tingly hands and arms only started to get bad in 2017. She said she couldn’t find anything to explain my symptoms.

This is the report of my recent cervical MRI and I’d be grateful if anyone could tell me if I’m right to feel vindicated and rather cross with the neurologist and whether of not this 3 year progression from possible root involvement to significant ddd is normal?

Finally it would be really helpful to know if what is reported explains some of the twitches and weakness in my left arm - even though my right arm is almost as bad. And if this correlated would this respond enough to neuro physio or would it warrant discussion with a neuro surgeon about possible surgical intervention?
Thanks very much,
Mat

“MRI Spine cervical

Normal vertical body height and alignment

C3/4: no significant abnormality

C4/5: no significant abnormality

C5/6: there is broad based moderately large left paracentral and left foraminal disc extrusion projecting into the left exit foramen and causing significant narrowing. The right exit foramen is patent

C6/7: Broad based posterior central disc protrusion with an annular tear which is abutting and slightly flattening the cord in the anterior aspect but there is no obvious foraminal stenosis on either side.

C7/T1: No significant abnormality.

The cord returns normal signal. Normal cranocervical junction.”

Opinion: Significant degenerative disc disease involving C5/6 and C6/7. Please correlate clinically