Hi ~ I'll try to explain a little.

C5-6 At the rear on the right side, there is a bone spur which almost wipes out the front of the thecal sac. The thecal sac is a membrane of dura matter that surrounds the spinal cord and cauda equina and is filled with cerebral spinal fluid. This results in very mild right-sided foraminal encroachment. The foramen are the holes that the nerves pass thru to get to the spinal cord.

C6-7 There is minimal disc degeneration. Disc degeneration is a drying out of the discs. This happens with age, and cannot be avoided. Everyone has it. when the discs dry out they flatten and bulge and sometimes herniate. Yours are minimally effected, and I doubt they are even bulging.

Please don't give up. I would take my CT films and my MRI films and get an opinion from another Neurosurgeon. Sometimes different doctors can see different things. But go JUST for an opinion. Do NOT go hoping for surgery. Surgery will NOT ease your pain.

After you get some opinions, I would ask for referrals to physical therapy. More often than not, this will help. All conservative methods should be exhausted before EVER thinking of surgery.

I wish you the very best, my friend. Please let us know how things turn out, and what a Neurosurgeon says. I hope we hear more from you. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee