Cervical disk herniations and spinal canal stenosis

  On 6/19/98 I was in a car accident of which I was hit from behind.  I
  suffered a concussion and had a MRI on 8/3.  MRI impression as follows:
  C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C7 disc narrowing, anterior and posterior disc herniations
  associated with endplate osteophytic spurs creating spondylitic ridges that narrow
  the subarachnoid space and cause borderline central canal stenois. AP diameter
  of canal diminished to appr. 10-11mm. There is narrowing and desiccation of
  of C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C7.   I started Physical Therapy.  However pain continued
  with very bad headaches,and sharp pains behind my right eye. I also experienced
  very bad pain in neck and shoulders down right arm with tingling in my elbow
  My right ear goes numb on outside and I have pressure inside right ear.  Pain is
  now traveling to left side of neck and shoulder I am still in Therapy and on pain
  med and anit-inflamatories with no relief.  Question: Could the fact that I set a a computer all
  day be part of the reason I have not relief and if I was to stop work might some of the
  pain go away.  I find that I feel better on the weekends when I am at home.
  I can rest and lay on my back which tends to give me relief.  I have also been told
  that surgery can be risking with no guarantee that I will feel better.  Could my
  job be aggrivating my problem?    
  
  Thank You
    
_____________
_____________
Dear Janet,
It is conceivable that your job is contributing to your problems.  Chronically bending the neck at a desk is can be painful for people in general.  Do recall, however, that many people on the streets have disc herniations and do not need surgery.  It isn't clear whether surgery is best for you at this point and you may choose to go with conservative therapy for a while and see how it goes.  The arm and shoulder pain is most concerning.  If this doesn't improve, surgery may be a good option.  Much of this depends on the degree of stenosis of the canal and impingement on the nerve roots seen on MRI.
Surgery isn't so risky as you may think, but conservative therapy in the early going for these cases is often the best course of action.  Speak to your surgeon in this regard and see whether he doesn't agree.
Good luck.