Hi,

If your cervical spinal canal is not patent you are in dire need of intervention.
Whether it is due to swelling or spurs, if your spinal canal is compressed the spinal cord can get damaged and you can be threatened with paralysis.

If it is not the canal with compression of the cord, there other places where nerves can be compressed (stenosis) that not be as serious and other noninvasive methods may be able to help.

I have had the unfortunate experience to have bone spurs that compressed my spinal canal and damaged my c5. I am not paralyzed thankfully, but have chronic neurological pain after surgery

I had symptoms as you described. However, with little info from the mri it is unclear how serious this is. Please talk to you NS or ortho or get a second opinion. The damage to the cervical spinal area can be dangerous, more so than the lumbar because of paralysis.

I don't want to alarm you, but i want you to know how serious this could be. I am surprised a ortho or ns would prescribe physical therapy if your cervical canal was closed.

Hope all goes well and don't ignore this
Take care