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Cervical Disc Bulges at C3-4, C4-5,C5-6 and C6-7
I have been a passive, yet loyal reader of this forum for awhile and decided today is the day that I post my question. I have learned much from others' questions, but I do have issues that I haven't found addressed so far. I am asking for help and guidance...
In May 2008, I experienced right side numbness in my arm while driving home from work. The numbness continued to the point that I lost use of the arm and it extended down into my right foot and leg and eventually into the right side of my face. Thinking that I was experiencing a stroke, my primary MD transferred me to a larger hospital where I underwent an MRI of my Head and Carotid U/S, and nothing was found at that time that could explain what was happening to me. My symptoms seemed to come and go without explanation, and I returned to my primary MD still seeking answers in Sept. 2008, and she ordered an MRI of my Cervical Spine.
This is the results of my MRI:
C2-3: No disc bulge or protrustion.
C3-4: Mild diffuse bulge is present. No focal protrusion is seen.
C4-5: Mild diffuse bulge is present. There is mild flattening of the anterior aspect of the thecal sac. There is mild narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally.
C5-6: Mild broad-based left posterolaterally disc protrusion is present. There is mild compromise of the left lateral recess.
C6-7: Mild broad-based right paracentral disc protrusion is present. There is minimal compromise of the right lateral recess;
IMPRESSION;
1. MILD BROAD-BASED DISC PROTRUSIONS ECCENTRIC TO LEFT AT C5-6 AND CENTERED TO THE RIGHT AT C6-7. ASSOCIATED COMPROMISE OF LATERAL RECESSES AT THESE LEVELS.
2. BROAD-BASED MIDLINE DISC PROTRUSION AT C4-5 WITH MILD SPINAL STENOSIS. AGAIN, CORRELATION WITH DISTRIBUTION OF RADICULAR SYMPTOMS IS RECOMMENDED.
This MRI report was six months ago, and my primary MD felt that this was due to some type of trauma that I may have experienced as a young child that is now causing me problems, I am 43, and recalled an incident of being hit in the back of my head with a bat while participating in softball. At the time of this diagnosis,I elected to just wait and deal with the symptoms as they arise.
I have been experiencing increasing symptoms for the past month or so, with increasing fatigue and migraines, then last week while sleeping, I felt an odd feeling of a "squishiness" in the back of my neck, then experienced the feeling of some liquid running down my neck, I was lying on my side at the time. Since this occurrence, I have been in constant pain and discomfort with my neck and my head feels so "heavy" and I am just exhausted most of the time. I was prescribed Elavil to help me sleep, but I experienced so much grogginess with it the next day, I only take it when I have to. Lately though, with the help of Tylenol PM, I am able to rest some, but within an hour of rising, those recurring symptoms of my head feeling heavy and pain in my neck now extend into my upper back through to my mid-chest. I also experience pain under my right arm and I have this feeling of a stick or poker-like pain in my right armpit.
I have been referred to a neurosurgeon and will be seeing him for the first time on March 24th. Does anyone have any experience with the above symptoms, and what would be your opinion about what I might be expecting to hear from the neurosurgeon? I am wondering about PT or epidural injections, or will he recommend surgery? The one thing I keep reading is the recommendation to wait on surgery until the last resort, and I can understand this, yet I am in pain now most of the time. How much more must I endure before I will know that it is "time"? Any and all opinions would be welcome right now!
In May 2008, I experienced right side numbness in my arm while driving home from work. The numbness continued to the point that I lost use of the arm and it extended down into my right foot and leg and eventually into the right side of my face. Thinking that I was experiencing a stroke, my primary MD transferred me to a larger hospital where I underwent an MRI of my Head and Carotid U/S, and nothing was found at that time that could explain what was happening to me. My symptoms seemed to come and go without explanation, and I returned to my primary MD still seeking answers in Sept. 2008, and she ordered an MRI of my Cervical Spine.
This is the results of my MRI:
C2-3: No disc bulge or protrustion.
C3-4: Mild diffuse bulge is present. No focal protrusion is seen.
C4-5: Mild diffuse bulge is present. There is mild flattening of the anterior aspect of the thecal sac. There is mild narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally.
C5-6: Mild broad-based left posterolaterally disc protrusion is present. There is mild compromise of the left lateral recess.
C6-7: Mild broad-based right paracentral disc protrusion is present. There is minimal compromise of the right lateral recess;
IMPRESSION;
1. MILD BROAD-BASED DISC PROTRUSIONS ECCENTRIC TO LEFT AT C5-6 AND CENTERED TO THE RIGHT AT C6-7. ASSOCIATED COMPROMISE OF LATERAL RECESSES AT THESE LEVELS.
2. BROAD-BASED MIDLINE DISC PROTRUSION AT C4-5 WITH MILD SPINAL STENOSIS. AGAIN, CORRELATION WITH DISTRIBUTION OF RADICULAR SYMPTOMS IS RECOMMENDED.
This MRI report was six months ago, and my primary MD felt that this was due to some type of trauma that I may have experienced as a young child that is now causing me problems, I am 43, and recalled an incident of being hit in the back of my head with a bat while participating in softball. At the time of this diagnosis,I elected to just wait and deal with the symptoms as they arise.
I have been experiencing increasing symptoms for the past month or so, with increasing fatigue and migraines, then last week while sleeping, I felt an odd feeling of a "squishiness" in the back of my neck, then experienced the feeling of some liquid running down my neck, I was lying on my side at the time. Since this occurrence, I have been in constant pain and discomfort with my neck and my head feels so "heavy" and I am just exhausted most of the time. I was prescribed Elavil to help me sleep, but I experienced so much grogginess with it the next day, I only take it when I have to. Lately though, with the help of Tylenol PM, I am able to rest some, but within an hour of rising, those recurring symptoms of my head feeling heavy and pain in my neck now extend into my upper back through to my mid-chest. I also experience pain under my right arm and I have this feeling of a stick or poker-like pain in my right armpit.
I have been referred to a neurosurgeon and will be seeing him for the first time on March 24th. Does anyone have any experience with the above symptoms, and what would be your opinion about what I might be expecting to hear from the neurosurgeon? I am wondering about PT or epidural injections, or will he recommend surgery? The one thing I keep reading is the recommendation to wait on surgery until the last resort, and I can understand this, yet I am in pain now most of the time. How much more must I endure before I will know that it is "time"? Any and all opinions would be welcome right now!
I have 2 bulged discs and 2 annular tears and am going to be having a double disc replacement in 10 months time. Your injuries/symptoms sound similar to mine. Maybe surgery is something you can look into if you have tried all the alternative treatments available but had no success?
It is probably because you are on the wrong pain killers. There are different kinds of pain. The pain caused by bulging discs etc is called neuropathic pain and normal pain killers won't touch it. You would need something like Gabapentin or low dose trycyclic antidepressants. This post was quite a while ago and I hope things are better now. If not ask to be referred to a pain specialist. Kind regards
Hi my name is Margie and 50 years old. I have severe pain in my shoulders, neck and arms....more so on left than right and tingling in both hands.
Please help me understand the severity of my mri ....please note that I had surgery done on c5-c6 3 years ago.
History..disc disease
Posterior fossa is normal. Spinal cord is normal in caliber and course without syrinx. Bone marrow signal demonstrates Modic changes of c4-c5, & surgical hardware at c5-c6 which causes degradation of image quality.
The precedential soft tissue is normal.
C3-c4 demonstrates a very small central disc protrusion measuring 2mm in SO dimension and 3mm in transverse dimension. This effaces anterior thecal sac but does not contact the cord. Neuroforamina are widely open.
C4-c5 demonstrates a broad-based diffuse disc bulge effacing the anterior thecal sac and contacting the cord but not causing cord signal or contour abnormality. Minimal hypertrophy of the uncovertebral joints results in bilateral neuroforaminimal narrowing not grossly contacting the exciting nerve roots.
C5-c6 demonstrates metallic artifact degrading image quality and altering signal which obscures complete visualization of this level. The spinal cord is normal. The neuroforamina appear open.
C6-c7 also demonstrates signal loss from metallic artifact. A diffuse disc bulge is present flattening the anterior thecal sac. There is bilateral neuroforaminal narrowing right side greater than left not grossly contacting the exiting nerve roots.
C7-t1 shows no disease.
Impression....
1. Hardware at c5-c6 degrades image quality.
2. Broad-based disc bulge c4-c5
3. Broad-based disc bulge c6-c7
I would appreciate any input for better understanding. Thank you very much.
Please help me understand the severity of my mri ....please note that I had surgery done on c5-c6 3 years ago.
History..disc disease
Posterior fossa is normal. Spinal cord is normal in caliber and course without syrinx. Bone marrow signal demonstrates Modic changes of c4-c5, & surgical hardware at c5-c6 which causes degradation of image quality.
The precedential soft tissue is normal.
C3-c4 demonstrates a very small central disc protrusion measuring 2mm in SO dimension and 3mm in transverse dimension. This effaces anterior thecal sac but does not contact the cord. Neuroforamina are widely open.
C4-c5 demonstrates a broad-based diffuse disc bulge effacing the anterior thecal sac and contacting the cord but not causing cord signal or contour abnormality. Minimal hypertrophy of the uncovertebral joints results in bilateral neuroforaminimal narrowing not grossly contacting the exciting nerve roots.
C5-c6 demonstrates metallic artifact degrading image quality and altering signal which obscures complete visualization of this level. The spinal cord is normal. The neuroforamina appear open.
C6-c7 also demonstrates signal loss from metallic artifact. A diffuse disc bulge is present flattening the anterior thecal sac. There is bilateral neuroforaminal narrowing right side greater than left not grossly contacting the exiting nerve roots.
C7-t1 shows no disease.
Impression....
1. Hardware at c5-c6 degrades image quality.
2. Broad-based disc bulge c4-c5
3. Broad-based disc bulge c6-c7
I would appreciate any input for better understanding. Thank you very much.
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