I hope I can get a little help or direction.

I was in a MVA 1/5/15, prior to this I have had no neck pain or issues with my arms. I was at a stop and the lady behind me was texting and hit me at 65mph. I was turned 180 degressand stopped 47 ft from the point of impact. I hit my head on the steering wheel (my seat belt locked as I was moving forward), and when I went back into the seat, the back broke and I landed much further back. I was laying with my seat on the seat behind me. ER diagnosed with whiplash.

On 2/7 I got a MRI and saw a Neurosurgeon on 2/9. Here are the results of the MRI, w/out contrast:

C3-4 Bulging of the disc with bilateral uncovertebral hypertrophy left more than right, mild foraminal narrowing on the left.

C4-5 Bulging of the disc without apparent neural compression

C5-6 There is a broad-based herniation with caudal down turning. The ventral subarachnoid space is narrowed but the cord is not compressed. The is a foraminal encroachment bilaterally right more than left. C6 nerve roots could be affected.

C6-7 Bulging of the disc with uncovertebral prominence. No compressive stenosis.

C7-T1 Mild Facet degeneration. No disc pathology. No stenosis.


************************************************** ***
First neurosurgeon wants fix C5-6 with the Bryan Cervical System.

Waiting for 2nd neurosurgeon appt.

Pain in both arms, left worse. Pain in neck and back of head. Headaches started up a week ago. Meds: Naproxen 500mg BID and Norco 10mg q 6-8 hrs.
Weakness in left arm is affecting my day to day. Right side weakness is not as severe, but is starting to worsen.
Also, have numbness and tingling in both arms and in shoulders.



Questions: Should more than 5-6 be fixed? 1st Dr. says if I fuse, it will place strain on other disc. Should the other not normal disc be fixed?

I'm 38 with little kids and so frustrated


Thank you for any help!!

Is not the Bryan System a "disc-replacement?" I believe it is and has been shown to spare motion at adjacent levels....so what's the fuss about added stress??? Based ONLY off your MRI, I personally don't see what anyone else would want to cut on or fuse? Perhaps your clinical findings and electrodiagnostic studies speak otherwise. And a two (disc) level fusion has disproportionately more complications (including non-union) than a single level. So....less is more! Besides, a two-level surgery is a bigger surgery with longer down time. I was faced with the same dilemma. The neurosurgeon wanted to fuse two levels but a month or two prior to my C5-6 fusion, the C6-7 level became asymptomatic. I talked to two ortho buddies who both urged me to only do one level, their feeling being you can always go back in and fuse the second level, but you can't un-fuse it. Has no one talked to you about either transforaminal or interlaminar epidurals? If your neurological profile is not heinous, they just might keep you out of surgery!

[Pain in both arms, left worse. Pain in neck and back of head. Headaches started up a week ago. Meds: Naproxen 500mg BID and Norco 10mg q 6-8 hrs.
Weakness in left arm is affecting my day to day. Right side weakness is not as severe, but is starting to worsen.
Also, have numbness and tingling in both arms and in shoulders.]

This plus the whiplash mention makes me wonder about possible thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) for short.
Not well known and often misunderstood by many drs.
Often has overlapping sx with c spine issues.
So could be complicated to sort out what is c spine vs what might be TOS.
I suggest getting evaluated by a TOS expert before moving forward with any surgery.
Treatment can be as dicey unless you find experts that really understand TOS.

Whiplash type injuries & sx don't often show up until some time has passed I believe, I wonder about soft tissue injury and possibly TOS, previous whiplash is often a factor with TOS..

Have you had any expert PT , to see if some of it is from soft tissue or trigger points?
TOS forum useful sticky threads -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread125577.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread135.html

Good thoughts, Jomar. good clinical exam, electrodiagnostic and vascular studies by competent clinicians for TOS is spot on!

you also might want to make claims against the ladys car that crashed into you, you will need to recoup some medical expensives, you might need to bring the lady to court for damages.