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Cervical MRI what does this mean

I have been told over the past few years that I have a degenerative disease of my cervical spine and in compare to my MRI 2 yrs. and it appears to me to be worse but I don't know what some of this stuff means. I have lost feeling in both thumbs in last 18 months and now it appears to be moving to other finger tips and my hands. I have begun to drop things. I also have severe neck pain that travels down the back of my left shoulder and senfs a shooting pain down my left arm. Hold my head up hurts but laying flat also hurts. Can anyone tell what this MRI language actually means?

MRI REPORT

Alignment: there is loss of normal cervical lordosis with kyphotic curvature noted.

Intervertebral discs show variable degeneration.

Spinal cord size and signal appears to be normal.

C2-3 Facet degeneration is noted bilaterally no canal or foraminal narrowing noted.
C3-4 Mild disc bulge with mild facet degeneration. No canal or foraminal narrowing noted
C4-5 Uncovertebral osteophytes are bilaterally with facet degenerative changes. Mild canal narrowing and bilateral foraminal narrowing noted
C5-6 Diffuse disc osteophyte complex is seen with severe bilateral foraminal and central canal narrowing.
C6-7 broad based diffuse disc osteophyte complex is seen effacing the ventral subarachnoid space and causing bilateral foraminal narrowing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbasile62 (Post 1178946)

I have been told over the past few years that I have a degenerative disease of my cervical spine and in compare to my MRI 2 yrs. and it appears to me to be worse but I don't know what some of this stuff means. I have lost feeling in both thumbs in last 18 months and now it appears to be moving to other finger tips and my hands. I have begun to drop things. I also have severe neck pain that travels down the back of my left shoulder and senfs a shooting pain down my left arm. Hold my head up hurts but laying flat also hurts. Can anyone tell what this MRI language actually means?

MRI REPORT

Alignment: there is loss of normal cervical lordosis with kyphotic curvature noted.
This can usually be helped with PT & posture work.

Intervertebral discs show variable degeneration.

Spinal cord size and signal appears to be normal.
This is good..

C2-3 Facet degeneration is noted bilaterally no canal or foraminal narrowing noted.
C3-4 Mild disc bulge with mild facet degeneration. No canal or foraminal narrowing noted
C4-5 Uncovertebral osteophytes are bilaterally with facet degenerative changes. Mild canal narrowing and bilateral foraminal narrowing noted
C5-6 Diffuse disc osteophyte complex is seen with severe bilateral foraminal and central canal narrowing.
This might be the worst due to the severe comment.
C6-7 broad based diffuse disc osteophyte complex is seen effacing the ventral subarachnoid space and causing bilateral foraminal narrowing.

I bolded some main points to explore and learn more about.
Have you had any PT at all?
Often PT can evaluate and do hands on testing to pinpoint causes.
If any of the hand problems could be some sort of repetitive strain, PT can assess for that also..

Kyphotic curvature means your neck is bent backwards.
As to why it is so, it could be that your neck flexors - SCM, Scalenes are overactive versus the neck extensors, upper traps, levator and spleni muscles. PT might help.