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Old 02-07-2019, 07:35 AM
glenntaj glenntaj is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Queens, NY
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glenntaj glenntaj is offline
Magnate
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 2,855
15 yr Member
Default The terminology--

--just refers to the degree of space compromise that they've found; a foramina is the space through which nerve roots pass on their ways in and out of the spinal cord, and you've definitely got some compromise at a number of levels, mostly left.

The degree of space compromise is not always associated with severity of symptoms--I've seen people with mild compromise with severe symptoms, and people with severe compromise who aren't very symptomatic at all. A lot seems to depend on heredity, exactly where nerves are being impinged, and confounding factors (diabetics, for example, who already have nerve problems tend to get more severe spinal symptoms--the so called "double crush phenomenon").

Still, you've got clinical correlation of your symptoms--and shoulder symptoms are common, along with those in the arm and hand. And depending on how severe they are, docs might recommend physical therapy, medications to reduce pain, or, if things get really bad, surgery to open up the spaces. Opinion on the latter are quite varied--some surgeons won't do surgery unless there is motor weakness, which generally means deeper nerve compression than sensory symptoms indicate, but some will operate for pain.

By the way, not surprising this is there if you have an ultramarathon history--I too was a runner, and serious basketball player and referee, and my MRI looks worse than yours (I have symptoms on both sides). So far, though, I've kept myself out of the operating suite with a lot of intensive physical therapy and exercise.

One other thing--you may want an MRI of your lumbar and sacral spine, which also tend to deteriorate over time with that type of athletic endeavor.
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