I have had severe back and neck pain and my Doctors orders a C-Spine x-ray, and sent me to Phys. Therapy for an analitical survey. What do I have in store, besides PAIN, PAIN and More Pain? The x-ray which I am already having. The x-ray showed Multilevel degeneratiave chand most pronounces in C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C6 with endplate sclerosis and anterior osteophyte formation. No malignant is noted.
Hello Kriskay, welcome to the medhelp forum. Intervertebral discs are spongy structures, which act as shock absorbers placed in between vertebrae in the spine. These discs prevent the adjoining bones from grating against each other with your every movement. With increasing age and trauma, the inner pulpy structure of the disc known as nucleus pulposus become more fibrous. Fluid loss from the disc causes disc height to reduce. This is disc degeneration and can cause spinal stenosis and disc herniation. These changes can compress the exiting nerve roots at the corresponding spine level and present as neurological symptoms and deficits in the specific dermatome. What are your symptoms? Any tingling and numbness in the upper limbs, weakness and pain along the neck, shoulder and arms needs to be consulted with a neurologist. Hope this helps. You can clarify any further doubts with us anytime. Take care and stay well.
You should consult a neurosurgeon if you have pain and numbness . A small disc problem doesn't go away. I waited 3 years to have mine fixed and by then I had 2 herniated with bone spurs and degenerative disc disease. I'm 3 weeks since surgery.
Basically, this disk is weakening in your cervical spine.