Question about degenerative disc disease - if no imaging was previously done and there were no prior symptoms (at least not significant), is it possible to have been caused by trauma?

Also, is having a flattened cord bad with bulging/protruding discs or is it only bad when it is herniated? The ones in question are Ts. Also bulging Cs. Have weakness and tingling on one side (and neck pain) but all this brushed off by many different drs. Why I am asking here. I do plan to go to a new neuro for this and a few other issues soon.

I had cervical rupture C-5 C-6 from whiplash in 1995 and thought only my back was hurt. The only symptoms were migraines and hand cramps which I linked to computer job. I also have degeneration. It's good that you're getting an appointment and MRI because you don't want to walk around with this problem. Listen to your body.

Doctors told me I wasn't in pain, sheesh

I've got the one MRI already, I just don't know how they can differentiate between genetics/previous degenerative damage and something that would have been caused by trauma, which is the whole reason I had the MRI done. It is also when there was whiplash and immediate weakness in my one side.

At the time, we were told it was normal or at least nothing preventing my release. Then later in time the neuro thought it was no big deal and he sees things like it without issues. I thought he must know best, but given the course of additional treatment I was given (or lack thereof) and with my symptoms continuing I can't help but think more about it.

I'm sorry to hear the doctors didn't think you were in pain. Sometimes it is hard for me to not feel jaded or angry about some of these experiences. It just doesn't seem right. It should be about listening and helping the patient. There's been a lack of that it seems.

Thank you. A lot of the problem is the people who are pill seeking have muddied the water for chronic pain patients. Alhough, addicts often started at one of the many pill mills where doctors made a fortune and helped start the heroin epidemic when they all got busted.

I absolutely agree there is no way to tell on a MRI which of the 3 came first except maybe whiplash because it's a fast impact trauma injury. The dd and genetics are slow, over time, and it's not like you have 6 month updated imaging. Some Dr's have the whole God complex promising to deliver the impossible. Arachnoiditis, which I have from exposure to spinal meningitis, was considered "made-up" or psychosomatic. The nerves in the spinal cord are tangled and knotted; sometimes on a MRI all you can see is a faint gray shadow over the bundled nerves. It's a chronic pain disorder and unfortunately imagine this happened for a while. I've been to the ER once for pain and it was humiliating!