Spondylosis with myelopathy

[Pepper]

Can you explain to me in very simple terms what spondylosis with myelopathy is?  Is it progressive in nature?  Thanks in advance.

[azurerain]

Sounds like me.

I'd say the numb uncomfortable feet, burning & tingling HAVE to be related. I'm having the same problems and also having some doctors tell me they are related and others say not.

Try another doctor.

There sure seems to be discrepancies in medical training when two different MDs can look at the same information and say things that are entirely opposite.

The doctor who ordered my recent MRIs said that my C5-6 disc disease is probably causing most of my problems, and he wanted me to have a myelogram to be sure there wasn't an AVM or other problem. He said there was no sign of any demyelinating diseases (this was also ruled out in 1999 with lumbar puncture too). He had me referred to a neurosurgeon who said that it was impossible for my C5-6 disease to be causing my problems and he didn't even offer to do the myelogram as the first doctor had requested! This second doctor told me that I probably had a demyelinating disease!

So I've got two opinions that are 180 degrees from one another!

All of my major exacerbations have been after bicycle rides. I was doing extremely difficult hikes without much problem until my last bicycle ride that was a year ago. Since then I  have not been able to do anything strenuous; even one flight of stairs is too much and makes me very ill with neurological symptoms for up to 3 weeks. This has to be a neck injury! The only difference in effort level between that last bicycle ride and the hikes I was doing just before that was the position of my neck.

The neurosurgeon who said "impossible" wouldn't even listen to what I had to say about the bicycle riding.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

In laymen's terms, spondylosis refers to the normal wear and tear of the spine as we get older that is manifest as degeneration of the discs in between each vertebra, subsequent overgrowth of the bony edges of the vertebra, and calcification of the ligaments along the spine. Myelopathy (myelo=spinal cord, pathy=disease) just means that there is a disease of the spinal cord.  Together, they mean that there are some degenerative changes of the spine that are pushing upon, or causing damage to the spinal cord. As we get older, it can be progressive depending on the degree of degenerative changes.

Good luck.

[cyndi57]

This website info may help with your questions. You didn't say whether it was cervical or lumbar, reguardless, it is all the same. I do suggest that you see a good Neurosurgeon, but that all depends on your films.

http://www.neurosurgery.org/journals/online_j/dec96/netscape/1-6-1.html

Good luck!

[Pepper]

Thanks Cyndi, it's cervical spondylosis with myelopathy.  Hope that helps!

[ChalkJ]

I have spondylosis, with some signs of myelpathy.  Have been
diagnosed with degenerative discs in cervical area.  Symptoms
associated with spondylosis have abated, but I am left with burning, tingling, uncomfortable feet.  Neurologist does not think they are related, but it is hard to imagine that they are not, since they the burning started soon after the diagnosis.
I am able to reduce the burning with neurontin, but do not want
to take medication for the rest of my life.  Has anyone out there
had similar condition?  I would appreciate hearing from you.

Chalkj