How serious? What is retrolisthesis?
 

Hello,

I'm new here, and will try to make this short as possible.

I've had lumbar and cervical issues for a while, with pain. But as I've gotten much older, 71, I have little pain. I also have polyneuropathy and a few other things. I went to my neurologist in early June with off-balance problems and my legs, individually, giving out. My left leg completely gave way and didn't come back for several minutes, which scared me. Also, I had what I call wrist drop, individually, with both arms--comes and goes. Issue with legs is very sporadic, except for off-balance which is almost daily. So, my neuro had me have lumbar and cervical MRIs. When they came back, he felt I should see a neurosurgeon.

When I saw the neuro, all he had was my lumbar MRI, which was abnormal.

Severe left neural foraminal stenosis at L4-L5 secondary to herniated disc along with degenerative and hypertrophic changes of the facet joint.

Right paracentral herniated disc with compression of the S1 nerve root at L5-Sl.

Severe degenerative dis disease at L4-5 and L5-S1.

He said he'd seen worse, but he was concerned about my being off-balance and made me close my eyes and stand, wherein I kept leaning backward. He asked the neurologist for my cervical, since he wasn't sure if it was the polyneuropathy or my neck. That was June 30. I have yet to hear back from him, though I've called three times. I got my cervical report from the neurologist.

Cervical:

Had flattening and splaying of the cord at C5-C6, among other things.

Impression:
1. Cervical spondylosis multifactorial from C3-C4 through C6-C7.
2. Disc spur complex at C4-5 resulting in some central cord stenosis and moderate to severe left neural foraminal stenosis.
3. Diffuse disc protrusion with moderate to severe left neural foraminal stenosis at C5-C6.
4. Left paracentral herniated disc at C6-C7.
5. Severe degenerative dis disease at C4-C5, C5-C6, C6-C7.
6. Retrolisthesis at several levels most prominent of C5 on C6 and C6 on C7, likely degenerative in nature.
7. Normal signal within the spinal cord.

Question: How serious is this? I'm in no pain right now, only the leg give way and off-balance problem. I did have what felt like nerve pain in my legs for one day, very painful, but it stopped.

Thanks for any help. Sorry it's so long.

Hi inspirations,

Sorry you are having all of this. I am no expert at analysing results, but I looked up Retrolisthesis and it means that vertebrae are out of posterior alignment to each other, but not so much that they are dislocated.

Having read through many other Member's scan results I am pleasantly surprised you have fewer problems than could be expected. This could simply be put down to natural resilience.

I do hope the issues you do have can be resolved with a minimum amount of intervention.

Dave.

I bolded some things to read up on, and ask dr about.

Jo*Mar and English Dave,

Thank you so much for your responses. Jo*Mar, I'll read up on these things and ask the doc. Thank you so much.