I'll try to help, but we'll see.

C2-3 There is a 3mm disc bulge and this wipes out the central spinal fluid space without central canal or neural foraminal stenosis. The foramen is the hole that the nerves pass thru to get to the spinal cord.

C3-4 There is a 2mm disc bone spur with a broad based 1mm disc herniation. The central spinal fluid space is wiped out and there is mild spinal canal stenosis. (stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal) The disc bone spur contains a component extending into the left intraforaminal region. (see above) . There is mild to moderate left neural foraminal stenosis (see above).

C5-6 There is a 2mm bone spur with a 4mm disc herniation on the left lateral recess and intraforaminal region. There is moderate to SEVERE spinal canal stenosis, and moderate to SEVERE lateral recess narrowing, and moderate to SEVERE left sided neural foraminal stenosis. There is also right sided unconvertebral hypertrophy (overgrowth of bone) with mild to moderate right sided neural foraminal stenosis.

C6-7 There is a 2mm bone spur with slight effacement (wiping out) of the CSF (central spinal space) and mild to moderate spinal canal stenosis. There is bilateral unconvertebral enlargement and facet disease. (the facets are the "wing-like" structures on each side of the spinal cord. They are made of bone and if you hunch over alot, you can see them) This causes mild to moderate bilateral neural foraminal stenosis.


I'M NO DOCTOR, but you probably did have most of this before the accident. I'm glad you are going to see a Neurosurgeon. That would have been what I would have recommended. If at ALL possible, stay away from surgery as long as you can!!! Surgery only begets more surgery! Surgery does NOT help pain. Surgery only is for mechanical problems. Usually after surgery, you're left with the same pain or worse. And with surgery, you have to worry about the "Domino effect." That is where the levels above and below the surgery site fail, because they have to take on more of the load. So somewhere down the line, after surgery you're going to need MORE surgery. It's a vicious cycle.

Before the internet came into being, and before I could do any research (which I've done LOADS of now) I had 2 OPEN surgeries. They didn't have the minimally invasive surgeries then. The first surgery was a total failure. Then after awhile, the level above failed, so I had to have a 2nd surgery. That surgery was a failure too! Now my spine is a complete mess -- and I'm now deemed "INOPERABLE."

So do your homework, and research IF they decide they want to do surgery. Surgery should be a LAST RESORT after all CONSERVATIVE methods have been tried. Pain management should be tried too, as well as physical therapy for a reasonable time. In fact, people who have had physical therapy have had the same results as people who have had surgery! So be careful.

God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee