Quote:
Originally Posted by pnnthunck
Please help me understand what these MRI conclusions mean in layman’s terms and any advice or opinions would be appreciated?
My MRI has 3 conclusion points.
1. Large left paramedian disc herniation C6-7 amputating the left axillary pouch and likely affecting the left c7 nerve root.
2. Moderate right neural foraminal osteophyte disc complex T1-2 which may affect the exiting T1 nerve root.
3. On the edge of the study, there appears to be a large right T2-3 osteophyte disc complex. Formal evaluation may be warranted depending on the patient's clinical exam and symptom complex.
A huge truck hit my small car from behind and has caused awful pain problems for me.
My symptoms are PAIN especially in the neck. I can't turn my head to the right or tilt my head forward or backward without even more pain. I have to wear a neck brace or the pain is just too awful. I feel weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath and I seem to cry all the time the pain is so bad. My first three fingers ache especially my thumbs and numbness travels down my left arm. My hands tremble and I can only stand for short periods of time.
I have tried to go back to work twice and have only made my condition worse.
Heat, ice and massage are my pt treatments.
If surgery will make this pain go away, I will gladly have it.
Please help me with advice and please tell me what my MRI says? I am usually such a strong person and this pain and not being able to do anything is frustrating. Thank you for any help or opinions you can help me with. CJ
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I'll try. (not a doc or radiologist)
Jennifer has certainly been there too. Glad she's found a helpful provider. Makes a whole lot of difference.
First: a DISC is a soft tissue. A VERTEBRA would be bone/hard.
1. "Large left paramedian" -- size and location; midline to the center of your spinal column; or, (on the left side from the middle of your spine) -- disc "herniation" -- (like a jelly doughnut with the jelly coming out - on a microscopic basis) -- "C6-7" "level in your neck) -- "amputating" -- (
that's got to hurt. Radiologist just describing to your referring doctor what he sees so your doc can understand what treatment options you may have) -- the left "axillary pouch" -- (nerve root sleeve/where the nerves would start to come out from the spinal cord/column and out the sides of the vertebrae and down our arms to our hands and fingers, in a very specific anatomical pattern) -- and "likely" -- (LIKELY NOT let's pray) -- "affecting the left c7 nerve root." (Just a hint of it touching the "nerve" root anything could cause the painful symptoms in your neck, arm and hands. The nerve roots have specific nerves that come out at that level and follow specific patterns to supply that dermatomal route with the nerve function.) Hope that helped some...
I've read a lot worse but "amputating" I've not seen described this way.
RELY on your doc to explain these findings better. You doc reads what it says and also understands what it doesn't say. Just as important to your treating doctor.
It helps if you try to understand the "IMPRESSION" part on that report. More like a diagnosis you can read about.
The "FINDGINS" is one doctor to another doctor language. The description is important for the referring physician to make a diagnosis and treatment plan. Some findings are surgical and some are not.
If you're at PT, they usually have an anatomical atlas of the cervical spine with nerve roots, nerve patterns, discs and all that stuff, and many more. Ask to see those.
It helps to understand because you're the one that knows how it's making you hurt. It may be too much pain to discern where it's coming from right now, but it means something. You will likely have these problems for a while as it just takes times for some us to heal and some may never heal. I do believe the pain patterns do change as our bodies will continually change, now with these problems and the effects caused by these problems.
I hope you find relief soon.
