I have been experiencing numbness and tingling in both arms, hands, legs, feet, face and back of head. Sometimes if I sit for a period of time my buttocks goes numb. I have trouble walking sometimes. Physical Therapy only made my symptoms worse, so I was told by my family doctor to discontinue therapy. I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon in October.
Here are the results of my MRI:


INDICATION:
Complains of neck pain with numbness and tingling in bilateral upper extremities for 6 months. Symptoms getting worse.
TECHNIQUE:
Noncontrast MRI of the cervical spine performed.
FINDINGS:
Cervical vertebral body height are normal. No compression fracture or marrow edema.
Degenerative disk space narrowing at C4-C5 through C6-C7 levels with mild dorsal kyphosis at this level.
At C4-C5 level, there is very minimal degenerative bulging annulus. No focal disk herniation, spinal cord or neural foramen
compromise.
At C5-C6 level, there is mild broad-based central disk herniation along with endplate osteophytic spurs causing effacement of
ventral thecal sac and mild cord flattening. No cord compression. Posterolateral disk bulge and uncovertebral osteophytic
spurs causing moderate compromise of the C6 neural foramen bilaterally.
At C6-C7 level, there is degenerative broad-based disk bulge at the left paracentral and posterolateral aspect along with
uncovertebral osteophytic spurs severely compromises the left C7 neural foramen. There is mild central canal stenosis
without cord compression.
Remainder of the disk levels, demonstrate no focal disk herniation. Cervical spinal cord has normal signal throughout the
examination. Cervicomedullary junction is normal.
IMPRESSION:
1. Degenerative disk space changes in cervical disks at C4-C5 through C6-C7.
2. At C5-C6 level, there is mild broad-based central and minimal left paracentral disk herniation along with endplate
osteophytic spurs causing central canal stenosis and mild cord flattening. No cord compression. Moderate spondylotic
compromise of the C6 neural foramen bilaterally somewhat more on the right compared to left.
3. At C6-C7 level, there is broad-based disk bulge and endplate osteophytic spurs causing mild central canal stenosis.
Posterolateral disk bulge and uncovertebral osteophytic spurs causing moderate spondylotic compromise of the left C7 neural
foramen and mild degree on the right side. No cord compression or abnormal intramedullary signal within the cervical spinal
cord.

Hi, I posted my comments to you when you joined and now I'm wondering what happened that has caused all this degeneration. Wear and tear, accident? Do you know. My neck issues are wear and tear degeneration. Just wondering.

I still stand on what I think, surgery last resort unless emergency.

A couple more thoughts from me and I'm one of the older members here I'm sure. I have had 2 surgeries in my 77 yrs and both came with their side effects...hysterectomy 30 yrs ago and ended up with sciatic nerve damage that I still deal with 30 yrs later. Hip replacement in 2010 and live with too many complications from that surgery.

I don't know anyone who does not live with some kind of pain as their lives go on. And I have older friends who would not think of a surgery at this time in their lives...some have had surgeries and talk about the complications from them. A good friend who will be 94 soon and she's pretty amazing all in all, better than me. She never did joint surgeries except carpel tunnel and talks about her regrets on that one.

So I don't paint pretty pictures on surgery but I know some are very necessary and WISH they were all great outcomes. I think many surgeries are un-necessary but they are performed all the time.

I just met a new lady in my area who at 50 did a hip replacement. She was getting hip pain and was a 5K runner. Her surgeon who is from the same group I went to, said she could be more physical if she had a replacement. She so far has had 3 dislocations with her decision.

We have to use a lot of good sense. And I know pain, it's no fun.