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Originally Posted by glenntaj
--are so common in aging human beings (partly due to our upright weight bearing posture AND our tendency to be seated for long periods at work or driving) that it's hardly surprising that you have some.
The question with these things is always how severe it is and what symptoms it causes. You notices the line in the MRI report "coorelate clinically"; that's because many people with all sorts of neural foraminal narrowing and/or cord compromise on MRI may have no or minimal symptoms, whereas those with not as much imaging evidence may have considerable symptoms. There's a tremendous amount of variation across individuals.
And, the other problem you and me and many others have is that symptoms caused by nerve root or spinal cord problems can be exactly mimicked by symptoms caused by more peripheral issues, such as diabetes or autoimmune attack on nerves, and it may be very hard to tease out just what is contributing to what.
I of course had my full body acute onset small fiber "attack" fifteen years ago that has left some residual damage, but my bigger day to day issues these days seem to come from mutlilevel foraminal compromise in my cervical spine, which I do very extensive physical therapy and exercise for so I can keep out of the surgical suite as long as possible. And I am prone to all sorts of compressive effects from the original nerve problem (and probably from slow regrowth along different pathways than originally), so I also have intermittent problems with the femoral nerves due to a leg length discrepancy that tilts my pelvis and impacts nerves passing through there.
I think you do have evidence of enough cervical compromise, given the symptoms you describe, to need to really see a neural orthopedic specialist. You did have enough discs herniation to contact nerve tissue. A repeat imaging might be in order--disc bulges and herniations can heal, though the extent of healing and symptoms improvement, again, is very variable. Neural compromise in the spine due to overgrowth of the vertebrae bone into the foramen--oestophytic complexes--tend to just grow over time (that's what I have) and may eventually have to be shaved down or removed to make space for nerve roots to function.
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Wow such a very helpful response - thank-you. I’m going to be seeing a dedicated neuro PT in 10 days time and if she reads the reports and decides that this warrants me seeing a neuro surgeon to discuss surgical options then hopefully my GP will be able to organise this to happen reasonably soon.
I completely see and relate to what you are explaining about one person’s reaction to pain compared to another’s. However, as I pointed out in my letter of complaint to the nasty neurologist, my responses to symptoms have always been commensurate to what has then been proven. I have just always had a lot wrong with me from infancy onwards.
Recently I saw an ENT consultant about possible vestibular disorder such as Menieres or other rarer conditions such as Cogan’s. He listened to my very flatly told account and I could tell he decided he liked me and I was going to be good for his students. So he sent me off for a full vestibular work out but nothing showed up because, as I’d said to him, my problems seem to relate to my central and peripheral nervous systems and dryness and autonomic dysfunction of Sjögren’s rather than my vestibular system.
But he then wrote to me saying that he had reformatted the “normal sinus CT his colleague had commissioned and discovered a “high rising venous bulb on my left jugular which is a structural abnormality and would explain my pulsatile tinnitus and possibly my vertigo attacks too. Unfortunately due to being on the jugular vein it is inoperable but that’s just life!
So I take these examples and feel more confident that if I say my arms feel tingly and leaden and my finger tips burn - I should be trusted and believed! I do not have heightened sensitivity to pain or sensory changes but no do I ignore them if they negatively impact on my life!
So your response has confirmed to me that this confidence is well placed. Thanks so much!