This is a long one, that I will try to keep it as short as possible. I have sufffered from headaches for yrs, started all of a sudden in '97. The ER told me I had an appt with a neurosurgeon, because I had a brain tumor. Well it scared me - the whole thing was traumatic & a long story). I was told by the neuro it was nothing to worry about & check every yr to C if it grew. It has but not by much. Well my symptoms seemed to progress over the yrs and more things came on. My symptom list grew. I had surgery for ACM type 1 in Oct. '07. It only helped my headaches a bit. My other symptoms the worst: Back pain (upper & lower), leg pain (both), some arm pain, tingling, numbness (arms, legs & facial at times). Anyway some days it is hard to walk. I've had falling incidents (my leg just gave out on me). My pain somedays is just moderate, then other days it is severe. One doctor tried to make me think I was crazy. 1 doc who I dropped (he tried me on different meds & 1 I had a severe allergic reaction to & ended up in the ER, but he told me to keep taking, so I dropped him). Anyway here is what they found:
03/09/07
MRI Cervical Spine with out contrast
Clinical Indication: Neck Pain, radiculopathy
Comparison: There are no prior studies
Findings: Alignment and vertebral body heights are within normal limits. Within the T4 vertebral body, there is a 1 cm mass, high in signal on T1 and T2 weighted imaging, consistent with hemangioma. There are low-lying cerebellar tonsils which extend approximately 6 mm below the level of the formen magnum. Calibler of the cervical spinal cord is unremarkable. Signal is unremarkable.
At C2-C3 there are degenerative disk changes. There is posterior disk and osteophyte, somewhat eccentric to the left. Canal measures approximately 1.0 cm. There is minimal left-sided foraminal stenosis.
At C3-C4 there are mild degenerative disk changes. The canal measures 1.0 cm. There is no foraminal stenosis.
At C4-C5 there is no canal stenosis. There is some unconvertebral point proliferative change resulting in mild left sided foraminal stenosis.The C5-C6, C6-C7 and C7-T1 levels are unremarkable.
Impression:
1. There are degenerative disk changes at C2-C3 and C3-C4. This results in minimal central canal stenosis.
2. There is mild left sided forminal stenosis, C2 –C3 and C4-C5.
3. Low- lying cerebellar tonsils consistent with Chiari 1.
That is just one of the many MRI's I have had. They say that nothing on there would cause pain. They say it must be depression. I have anxiety not depression. I have anxiety because of the pain I have suffered from over the years. So tell me: Forminal Stenosis, osteophytes, osteoartritis, & degenerative disc disease: does it cause pain or not & some of the symptoms I have told you about. I do not have enough time to get into all of my symptoms, but I just wonder why some tell me that it is nothing. That all the pain is just in my head. I know that it is not in my head!!!! I am sick of that. I was a very very happy person before. I was doing PT/OT and it seemed to double my pain. I am awaiting a new appt with a new neurologist. The last one who said it was in my head (w/o any of my records or MRI's) was not covered by my ins, so I am awaiting and appt with this other neurologist. I just wonder why no one seems to think these things could be the root of my pain & suffering. I don't want to be in pain anymore. I don't want to be on medication anymore. If I have to be, I want to know what it is that is causing me all these problems.
Thank you ahead of time. I cannot write anymore for now.