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Old 04-24-2013, 07:58 AM
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Leesa Leesa is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,424
15 yr Member
Leesa Leesa is offline
Senior Member
Leesa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,424
15 yr Member
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Hi Smyles ~ I'll do the best I can !

C2-3 Mild facet arthropathy. That means facet disease which could be anything like osteoarthritis. The facets are the "wing-like" structures on each side of the spinal cord. When you hunch your back, you can see & feel them. There is also mild right neural foraminal stenosis. The foramen are the holes that the nerves pass thru to get to the spinal cord -- Stenosis means narrowing, so the foramen are narrowing.

C3-4 Small posterior disc bone spur with mild facet arthropathy (see above) causing mild central canal stenosis (the spinal canal is getting narrow) and mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis (see above)

C5-6 Mild disc bulging and facet arthropathy (see above) causing mild effacement (wiping out) of the ventral thecal sac. The thecal sac is a membrane of dura matter that surrounds the spinal cord & cauda equina and is filled with cerebral spinal fluid.

I hope this helps you understand it a little better. I know it's confusing. While I doubt that this is a surgical case at this time, I hope you will get a Neurosurgeon to look at this, to get an opinion. DO NOT jump into surgery, as surgery should be a LAST RESORT after all conservative methods have been exhausted. Surgery is only for mechanical problems. It is NOT for pain. After surgery, you are almost always left with the same pain or worse.

So make sure you get at least 3 Neurosurgeon opinions. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee
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recovering alcoholic, sober since 7-29-93;severe depression; 2 open spinal surgeries; severe sciatica since 1986; epidurals; trigger points; myelograms; Rhizotomy; Racz procedure; spinal cord stimulator implant (and later removal); morphine pump trial (didn't work);now inoperable; lumpectomy; radiation; breast cancer survivor; heart attack; fibromyalgia; on disability.



Often the test of courage is not to die, but to live..
.................................................. ...............Orestes
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"Thanks for this!" says:
ginnie (04-24-2013), smyles12 (04-24-2013)