Rupture of C4, C5, C6 spine discs

Hi there, I'm a 31 yr old male with ruptured C4, C5, and C6. C5 is protruding 6mm into the right of the nerve/spinal cord area and thus has caused me to lose feeling in my right foot and right hand and arms.  I can't open a can of coke and I walk with a limp and it's getting worse. My feeling is receding my the day.  It's been 2 months since the rupture.  There is little pain but the lack of feeling is horrrible  Also, i'm now developinng some neurological issues. My speech speed has slowed, I stutter and slur, I can't feel my tongue very well, and my overal brain speed has slowed.  They say these are unrelated to the spine disc rupture but I doubt that.  

I am considering surgery to remove the ruptured discs but am afraid of  teh downtime and if the feeling and neurological issues will ever get better.    Can you guys give me some advice here?
They had reccomended doing another epidirial injection but i'm not sure that's going to  help at this point.
I really need to get this surgery done and out of the way if needed.  Also, regarding recovery time, what is it like the 1st week?  Can you get up, walk around and eat and drink by yourslef?  What about 2 weeks out?  Can you drive and stand up and walk up stairs?  What are your true limitations and when can you run again?



This discussion is related to Disc Rupture - Micro Diskectomy.

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Hope you are feeling better.
Slowing of speech, stuttering and loss of sensation in the tongue do not seem to be due to ruptured discs. I would suggest you to undergo a CT scan of head and neck to rule out other neurological causes for your symptoms.
As far as the surgery for ruptured cervical discs is concerned it is very much dependent on the efficiency of the surgeon. The recovery time can be upto a month. A good rehab therapy including physical and occupational therapy will help in early recovery
Hope this helps!

[Nana000]

My MRI impression shows a disk protrusion centrally and just right of the midline at C5-6. I also have a bulging disk at C7-T1. I had fusion of C6-7 in 1997. My problem is that I am feeling pain and paresthiasis in my left shoulder and arm. I also experience pain in the back of the neck and frequent headaches. They state that the left C6 foramen is patent and the right C6 is compromised. What could cause me to feel this on the left side and not the right. I am currently dealing with herniated disks in my lumbar and sacral area and have had chronic pain for some time. Also to note: I underwent a laminectomy at L4-5. I'm more confused than ever. Any insight you may have would be greatly appreciated.

[Nana000]

Sorry about the comment. I'm new to this forum and thought I was posting a question for the Dr.  
Thinking of you and understanding what your going through.