Myelomalacia
 

Hi all.

About a year ago I saw my neurosurgeon after having an MRI of the cervical area. It really concerned him in that between the films and the report it said that there was "Myelomacia" at C6/7 levels. I know from what I have seen that this means softening of the spine.

He recommended that I do core strengthening exercises since I was getting weakness in my arms; pain and so on. He had seen me for years and did note a decrease in me neurologically.

Then I saw him again within the past few weeks. He looked at the films again from last year and wanted to see some older films if I still had them. So I brought films that had from 1998 and he was able to see that I had myelomalacia even back then. But it progressed between 1998 and 2011. It got worse by 10-20%.

He is afraid to touch me surgically because of the other surgeries that I have had; getting to the area would require going thru the sternum and due to my other health risks felt surgery would be risky on me.

Can anyone tell me anything about mylomalcia. What if it progresses even more. I already have weakness in both arms, the left being worse, radiating pain into the shoulder area; feeling a weakness that goes into the hands and fingers.

Just looking for any information and if anyone else has experience with mylomalacia.

Thanks for listening.

Allan

Allan,

I can't tell you anything you can't find/read via google. Frankly, the condition is new to me; this is the first I've heard of it.

I did just check the archives (Search function) here though, and it has come up in past discussion threads on various forums. You might try that.

Doc

Doc.

I learn new things all the time. I used to be in the insurance business handling injury claims so I was used to reading medical reports. It wasn't until the past year or so that I have started to see the term.

It's been a while since I've read things about it so I can't tell you much. I need to reread the information that I have googled. I don't want to say something until I refresh my memonr on what I've read.

Thanks for your help.

Allan

Yes I have myelomalacia according to the surgeon who did a spinal decompression and laminectomy operation on my lower back in 2006. My symptoms, which developed quite suddenly earlier that year are: impaired walking mobility and ever-present neurological pain of varying intensity in both legs.

Before the sudden downturn in 2006 I had no mobility problems but mild neuro leg pain, not always perceptible, going back to the mid 1980s (I am 70 now). Since 2006 there hasn't been much change either in mobility or pain levels so I am hoping that the spinal op has stabilised affairs.