you are not going to like what i say, and i am not a doc so it's just my opionon but i think the doc is right. it sounds like you may have some bone spurs and maybe some degeneratine disc desease. but with no significant spinal cord compromise no doc worth a salt of grain would operate on you, which is a good thing. maybe some pt will help has you may have some soft tissue damage and muscle strain.keep an eye on your symptoms and if you get any numbness or very bad headaches down the road then i would sugest another mri, but in the mean time try a soft collar, as it may help with the pain. hope i was alittle bit of help, oh but don't wear the collar all day maybe just a couple of hours. good luck and let us know how things work out for you d

Dixie,

Anything contacting your cord or the nerves can cause you pain. I agree with you, no matter what degeneration you have in your spine, bottom line is there wasn't pain with it before the accident! I've had ACDF surgery at C5-7 but still have pain. If you are still having pain after 9 months, you might be able to get some relief from seeing a pain management doctor. ESI's or RF's might help, but it would be best if you and the PM come up with a plan of action based on what your symptoms are and where the pain is.

Best wishes,

Kim