How much spinal cord impingement can cause issues
 

I was curious to know if anyone knows how much spinal cord impingement there needs to be before problems start. I am actually refering to impingement from a herniated cervical disc. C- 3 to be exact.

I just had a new MRI and I have compared it to some of my older ones and there seems to be some impingement although very slight. I have yet to read the radiologists report so I don't know if they will catch this issue or not.

In another cross section it also appears that the disc is leaking onto the thecal sac and cord and causing it look bean shaped.

Then in another section it looks like a disc fragment had broken off and is lying on top of the thecal sac.

Thanks

How much impingement
 

judge that by your symptoms, pain levels and discussion with your doctor. Everyone is different and everyone experiences pain differently. My injury for instance may not cause the guy or gal standing next to me pain. But me, I am in constant pain.

One can have stenosis and never know it while another has slight herniations causing terrible pain and symptoms.

My stenosis was severe and caused much pain but puzzled the doctors as to why I could even walk with such a squeezed off spinal cord in two places.

Radiologist's Report
 

C3-C4 level there is a Central disc protrusion which impinges slightly on the Anterior aspect of the cervical cord.

At the C4-C5 level, a minor bar like disc bulge is shown. No impingement on the cervical cord

At the C5-C6 level, a minor bar like disc bulge is shown. No impingement on the cervical cord

At the C6-C7 level no abnormalities are found

At the C7-T1 level no abnormalities are found

No Abnormal signal is shown within the cervical cord itself

Radiological Diagnosis;
Central disc Protrusion at the C3-C4 level with minor impingement on the anterior aspect of the cervical cord.


Just thought I would update m original post

hi q,
i just had a herniation at l4/5 that impinged on the thecal sac only. That caused horrid sciatica and other problems. I don't think it takes much.

sims