herniated disk in neck

[cndyygr]

is there any treatment besides surgery for herniated disk in neck my mri report reads non contrast-cervical spine demonstrates reversal of the normal curvature of the cervical spine with degenerative disk signal at c4-5,c5-6,and c6-7 and central and left paramedian disk herniation at c4-5. this is a fairly broad-based area of herniation that is about 1 cm in width and about 4mm in maximum ap diameter. this does compress the thecal sac. at c5-6, there is also disk herniation that is central and bilateral paramedian. this also compresses the thecal sac significantly. c6-7 demonstrates disk bulge/protrusion that is central and left paramedian and a little to the right paramedian but primarily to the left. this is not quite as prominent as the other 2 levels but is still abnormal. there is no frank chiari malformation, but the tonsils are borderline low but are felt to be within the realm of normal limits.
my symptoms i have are pain in my neck, shoulders, upper back, hands get real cold,numb,tingle,also have pain in lower back,at times it feels like restless leg syndrom,also jerk and wake myself up as i'm going to sleep,and it feels like i need neck support my head feels heavy to me.

[wrestlersiue]

Hello, I am a student at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and I am on the wrestling team, or should I say was on the wrestling team. It was discovered about two months ago that I had a ruptured disk in c5-c6 and I am not seeking second and third opinions at different hospitals as to what the cure will be. They have attempted physical theropy and the problem is not the pain (although their is some pain down the back of my right arm) they are more concerned with the weakness in my right tricep. The Neurosurgon I have spoken with has told me that i will need surgery, but that after the surgery is over I will no longer be able to wrestle. He explained to me the reasons why saying that the surronding disks are made to have more pressure on them by the surgery. Also the fussion may not hold up to wrestling either. So my question is this. Is their any way of fixing this without surgery and make it so that I will not have a greatly increased chance of being paralized if I contiue to wrestle. OR, is it possible to wrestle after this surgery?.......any help would be greatly appriciated....thank you!

[marzie]

Have you seen a neurologist?  You may want to consider a second opinion and an MRI on your cervical spine.  Good Luck!

[brandy01]

Your symptoms sound the almost the same as mine. I have pain in my left side of my neck, shoulder and when I put my head down the pain shoots down my back to my shoulder blades. 95% of my pain is in the left side. I have what feels like daggers in my left shoulder blade and a lot of stiff necks. When I have pain on my right side it is a much deeper pain and more painful that the left. Recently I have pain down both arms and tingling in down to my fingers. But yet the doctor tells me that my herniated disc on my right side is not the cause of all this pain???

You should ask your doctor again for a MRI and if they refuse I would go to another doctor who will order the MRI be done.

[brandy01]

I posted a previous note on 1/29/06 concerning findings of my cervical MRI. I have since seen a nerosurgeon and he explained in greater detail what the findings were. I have a very large herniated disc in the C6 region. He told me that none of my pain on my left side could be caused by the herniated disc because it is way on the right of the disc. Because I don't have as much pain on my right side as my left side he referred me to a pain management doctor.

Has anyone else had a similar experience as mine? I don't know what else to do.

Thanks.

[Graphite]

Hello,
I am a graphic designer from Jacksonville, FL.  I am not a doctor or medical person. However I had severe disc herniation on C5 and C6 in 2003. I didn't know it at the time. Several months prior my right foot and leg began to feel cold and asleep. I went to a doctor and explained in detail my problem. She told me I was over weight and needed to lose some pounds. I lost 25 pounds and the numbness became worse. My first clue something was seriously wrong was when I was running and suddenly lost complete feeling in the lower half of my body. I fell down hard and decided to contact a neurolgist who, after several test, suspected I had disc herniation in my neck. We had MRIs done to confirm it. My spinal cord was compressed in two places so thin that he was concerned if I fell II would be left paralyzed. So I had surgery three days later. I was 35 at the time. They removed the disc and had two doner disc fused in. It took about 3-6 weeks for full recovery.  Three years will have past this March. I still have severe numbness in my leg and it always feels cold. I sleep in socks all the time and the ocean feels like a different temperature on my right leg. However, I am happy that I  went to the doctor. I feel like I got a second chance to accomplish things that I used to only dream about. I had surgery, some people don't want to do that and I respect that, but I needed it and things are much better for me now. Keep in mind my discherniation was heredity. My father had the same surgery. I never had an injury to the neck. Peace be with you.

[marzie]

Hi, this is my first time on this site.  I had a cervical fusion with bone graft 3 years ago.  I had three discs rupture after seeing my Dr. for neck pain and tingling sensations in my arms and legs.  He said I had severe muscle sprain and sent me home.  The rupture occurred the next morning.  After 5 days of laying in a hospital bed, I was finally operated on, but because of the compression on my spinal cord, I have been left with a permanent spinal cord injury.  I have also been diagnosed with "patchy" Brown Sequard Syndrome.  Drs. say I am lucky to be mobile at all.  I take 4200 mgs. of Neurontin daily for burning nerve pain in my left leg and to control muscle spasms in my right leg.  I never knew I had bulging discs and I will never forget the morning they ruptured.  Anyone who is aware they have this problem, please seriously consider the surgery if your doctor is suggesting it.  My life will never be the same again and what's frustrating for me is that I have met others since this happened who had the same surgery (minus the rupture) and they are fine now.  Best wishes to all who read this.