NeuroTalk Support Groups - Will someone please help me understand my MRI?

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Will someone please help me understand my MRI?

C 3-4: No disc protrusion or central spinal canal stenosis. Mild
left-sided uncovertebral joint hypertrophy causing mild left-sided neural
foraminal narrowing.

C 6-7: Small central annular tear with a central disc protrusion
indenting the thecal sac, however no central spinal canal stenosis. There
is bilateral uncovertebral joint hypertrophy causing mild to moderate
right-sided and mild left-sided neural foraminal narrowing.

I do not see the doctor for another month. I understand the tear but its the other part I do not understand. Will this require surgery?

I'll try to help:

C3-4 ~ You have some overgrowth of bone that causes mild left-sided neural foraminal narrowing. The foramen is the hole that the nerves travel thru while going to the spinal cord.

C6-7 ~ Annular tear with disc protrusion indenting the thecal sac. (the thecal sac is a membrane of dura matter that surrounds the spinal cord & the cauda equina. The thecal sac is filled with cerebral spinal fluid) There is bone overgrowth causing mild to moderate right sided and mild left sided foraminal narrowing.

I'm NO DOCTOR - but at this point I don't see a surgeon doing surgery. I might be dead wrong -- so a surgeon's opinion would be advised. But I just don't see where it's necessary.

I hope I answered your questions. Hugs, Lee

Hi,
What kind of symptoms are you having at this time?
Hand & arm pain, tingling, numbness?
neck pain?
What is your avg pain level?

Maybe we can suggest things to help?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo*mar (Post 736170)

Hi,
What kind of symptoms are you having at this time?
Hand & arm pain, tingling, numbness?
neck pain?
What is your avg pain level?

Maybe we can suggest things to help?

Right now I have 8/10 pain in my Neck and Shoulder and the back of my arm. I have tried PT, Traction. a TENs Unit injections the only thing that takes the pain a way is Oxycontin and Norco. Which I take daily.

Did you have a comprehensive physical evaluation by an advanced PT or did they just treat only per what the dr rx'd?

Did anyone do any positional , pressure, traction testing to locate that way what might be the cause of the pain or some of it?

What kind of work do you do or did you do?
anything repetitive ?? - previous whiplash type injury, desk job, mechanic etc?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncchief30 (Post 736024)

Mild degenerative changes at C3-4 and mild to moderate at C6-7. Functionally for you, if you had right-sided symptoms like scapular pain, pain, numbness or tingling down the back of the arm, top of the forearm into roughly the middle finger, or perhaps weakness of your triceps, wrist flexors and finger extensors or possibly depressed triceps reflex (although you wouldn't know it), then there may be a correlation. If not, then you just have simply degenerative changes visable on the MRI.

Surgery is not determined by an MRI. It only confirms your doc's clinical suspicions. Surgical determination is dependant upon your symptoms, clinical findings, impact of the same on your lifestyle and comorbidities.