MRI results

[mystique2300]

I just had a mri done a week ago due to being sent to the hospital over 2 months ago for having some kind of seizure or stroke,which I am still trying to figure out and so is my neurologist. My mri  shows C3-4 minimal diffuse disc bulge,C4-5 minimal diffuse disc bulge. Significant central canal or neuroforaminal space narrowing is not appreciated,C5-6 the disc protrusion is seen to the right of the midline which indents the ventral surface of the subarachnoid space. Tear of the annulus is seen,C6-7 Diffuse disc bulge with central disc protrusion is present indenting the vebtral surface of the thecal sac extending 3mm in AP dimension. Neuroforaminal spaces are patent.
I have no idea what this means. If anyone can help me out. My next appointment is not until the end of August.

[mystique2300]

Thanks for the support. I am only 34 and i have all this going on. The pain i have has been for the 10-15 years i have no problem with dealing with that. We are just trying to figure if this is causing what i have been going through. I am getting what look like seizures and it effects my entire left side to the point of me not being able to hold even a cup. But it is my entire left side to my feet. They took about 17 vials of blood and now checking my thyroid with an ultrasound cause i have hypothyroid. And sending me to get a nerve and miscle test done as well. We are at the guessing game.

[philnoir]

Hi Mystique -- that is a mystery. This MRI just documents cervical spine disease.

I'm glad that you're not in pain. However, people with lumbar spine disease often have corresponding problems in the cervical spine.

DDD is seen in people over 50. Some are symptomatic, and others, like yourself, feel no pain.

Surgery is a tool of last resort, only after other more conservative modes of treatment have failed.

Another good specialist to get to know is the board-certified pain doctor, an MD or DO with the credentials DABPM. These docs are trained in the disease called chronic pain, the use of advanced pain drugs, the spine and nervous system with a pain treatment perspective.

Take a look at that information -- if you have questions, we are here.

Best wishes.

[mystique2300]

Thank you so much for the information. I am actually not in pain at all. Every so often I get pain in my neck that only lasts 3-4 days. I always figured that the pain I was having was because I slept wrong the night before,but I guess not.... I have mild degenerative disc disease and arthritis in my lower back and arthritis in my hip/pelvic bone. I have constant pain in my entire back that I deal with on a daily basis. I just wonder if this is the reasoning behind me ending up in the hospital a couple months back but I don't think it was. Doctors are still trying to figure that one out.

[philnoir]

Hello, and welcome to the spine forum. You would benefit from becoming familiar with the anatomy of the cervical spine. This is easily visualized by searching for "cervical spine anatomy" and looking through the results.

You have moderate to severe disc disease, especially at the C5/C6 level, where the disc is torn. You also have a moderate amount of spinal stenosis at C5/C6 and C6/C7. This means that your spinal cord is being compressed in these two areas.

I imagine you are in severe pain and I hope that your pain is being treated while you wait for an appointment with the surgeon. If not, I would ask that your PCP treat the pain until you can see the specialist.

You may need surgery to resolve that torn disc issue, and take the pressure off your spinal cord.

Visit a spine site, like spineuniverse.com or spine-health.com. They both have lots of information on conditions of the spine and their treatment options.

Look for degenerative disc disease, stenosis, as well as disc bulge, and disc protrusion. You appear to have all these issues according to the report.

Best wishes.