Need Help with MRI Results...

[gem0617]

Hi,

I am a 39 year old Female and in 2005 I was involved in an MVA.  Since that time I have had nothing but health issue after health issue.

Immediately following the accident I began physio for back pain. I would walk in to my Physio appt and have to be carried home as i was unable to move my legs without major pain. It would take hours before i could move on my own again. I went to my physician and he referred me to a Rhumatologist who immediately diagnosed me with Fibromyalgea. Since then every pain and every issue I've faced in my health has been thrown into what I call "my Fibromyalgia bucket".

Over time the issues have increased to the point where I am unable to work at all. I have always wondered if there could be some other reason of why the following issues have plagued me:
1. Numbness, weakness and ache in my hands and wrists. I was tested for Karpel Tunnel and tested negative.
2. I lost my complete eye sight in 2007 for about half and hour, but lost peripheral vision for 3 hours. I as told it was migraine with aura.
3. I am constantly covered with hives all over my body. The hives mostly affect my low back close to the tail bone, arms, and chest, but i have had them in other places as well. My arms seem to worsen with exposure to sunlight. The hives seem to come in cycles and I am not aware of any cause to the trigger of a new cycle. I saw a Dermatologist who as unable to give me a direct answer even following a biopsy of one of the hives. The only thing he did say is it appeared to be a photosynthetic allergy and all I could do was take allergy medication. Problem is I can't take allergy meds as they all contain antihistamine and that triggers my RLS (restless leg syndrome).
4. RLS is another of the wonderful problems i live with. I have become somewhat experienced in dealing with it and avoiding the things that set it off, but that doesn't make it any less pleasant.
5. Dental problems - I began grinding my teeth and cleching to the point where I have done major damage to most of my jaw teeth. Now I am missing most of my jaw teeth and have problems eating hard foods.
6. I get random spasms all over my body.
7. My energy level is also rotational.
8. I get major pain in the back, base of my head when I laugh. I know it sounds funny but believe me it's not. When I laugh loud or hard I get a throbbing sensation in the base of my head that makes me begin to black out. It takes about 20 mins for the pain to pass, but by then I feel like I’ve been beaten up. It's especially scary when it happens if I'm driving.

In Jan 2010 I was involved in another, more minor MVA and I believed I was fine until the pain began to increase and new pains and issues presented themselves. Now I have the pleasure of added and increased problems including:

1. Constant clenching of my jaw, neck, face, head and neck. I’ve even had spasms where I’ve been unable to move my head or neck for days.
2. I have daily headaches that seem to come alive mostly as I sleep. They wake me up with intense throbbing and I’ve been unable to have any complete night of sleep.
3. I get the feeling of spasms in the muscles of my head. The pain is unbelievable and occurs at least 4 times a week, but quite often daily. I even have this constant feeling of a band around my head or spasm on the occipital area.
4. My migraines are now severe all out migraines that last for days.
5. I have done even more damage to my teeth in just this short period of time since the clenching increased. Now I’ve even chipped a front tooth and another rear tooth.
6. My eyes are sensitive to light and find it hard to focus at times. (even with my new prescription of progressive lenses, glasses)
7. The body aches have more than doubled in their intensity and frequency.
8. My hands have gotten weaker and I always have pain and weakness in my right shoulder, but also sometimes in my left shoulder as well.
9. My sleeping patterns are all messed up and seem to only be getting worse. Some days I sleep most of the day away in short spurts, other days I can’t sleep at all.

I am now on 60 mg daily dose of Cymbalta with the hope of decreasing the physical aches and some of the symptoms. It seemed to be working for awhile but now I feel it’s losing its intensity and I’ve only been on them for two and a half months.

I am having a hard time adjusting to this new physical state and I am an inquisitive, determined person who doesn’t give up easily. I seem to have a habit of pushing which as of late has been causing more problems than help. I’m not sure what to do, or where to go for help. But I don’t want to give up.

Plus I did recently have an MRI of my neck, shoulder and head. The results from the shoulder and head were insignificant, but the neck results have me really confused. I'm usually pretty good at research but this report has me stumped.

i'm copying from the form with the hopes of getting some feedback and info on what this all could mean... if it means anything at all.

"there is a small focal right paracentral disk protrusion at C4-5 causing thecal sac compression but no cord impingment. There is a well defined CSF intensity structure present at the lateral aspect of the left C5-6 neurovertebral foramen. It measures 1x0.7-cm. This is a nonspecific lesion but it appears benign. It is closly related to the extended nerve root. There is a similar, smaller left sided lesion on the left at C7-T1. Overall I favor that this lesion represents a Tarlov cyst. It is somewhat unusual in the cervical but can occur. No destructive lesions are seen. No paraspinal abnormality evident."

OPINION:

Small focal right paracentral disk protrstion C4-5 causing thecal sac displacement but no cord inpingement. Left sided peri-neural cyst C5-6 and C7-T1

Ok, yeah.... doesn't make alot of sense to me to be honest and as much as I don't there to be any problems I think i'm actually relieved that there appears to be some reason for the pain i've been having.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m too young to be stuck living like this. There has to be something I can do to get my life back.

Thank you….

[gem0617]

That was all the information provided with the original MRI report. However, I did forward the MRI cd to a Neuroradiologist in Toronto, who has extensive experience with Tarlov Cysts and this is his report:

"You do not have a Tarlov Cyst in your cervical spine. You have a 1cm (small) perineural cyst at C5-6. I would not treat this. They can cause head and neck pain but they are in a very delicate location around one of the critical vessels to your brain. The left vertebral artery."

This gives me some answers, but also creates many more questions.

[EdwardPB]

Provide more detailed MRI information.
Is there reference to cerebral tonsil extension or protrusion?
(potential Chiari)
Has anyone discussed "RSD" with you?
(reflex sympathetic dystrophy)
The sac displacement, and cyst, are not significant on their own. However, if they are abutting/pressing on any nerve roots, that will cause pain.
Rehab appointments should NEVER cause you to leave in great pain or restricted movement.