Help me figure out my pain. MRI reading..
 

Need some advice. I am in chronic pain. I'm 28 today.
Help with MRI please

There is reversal of the cervical lordosis centered at c4/c5 and 5/6

Posterior disc osteophytic ridging most Apparenr at c4 and c5/6 and 6/7 of posterior annular tear and at c4/c5 there is mild narrowing of the spinal canal. Is mild dorsal deflection of the cervical spinal cord. Thecal sac tapers to 9 1/2 millimeters.
No frank spinal cord compressions

At c5-c6 mild to moderate spinal canal narrowing. There is mild ventral indentation of the cervical spinal cord and mild dorsal deflection of cervical spinal cord. Thecal sac tapers again to 9 1/2 millimeters

On axial images is perhaps a slightly more focal left central disc with an annual tear.

C6-c7 minimium disc osteophytic ridging w/I spinal and neutral frontal narrowing.

Impression:
Reversal of the cervical lordosis together with disc osteophytic ridging at c4-5 and 5/6 cause mild dorsal deflection of the cervical spinal cord and minimium flat ring best seen at c5/c6 posterior annual tear at c4/c5 and c5 and c6

Minimal disc disease c3-c4/c6-c7

Ashley, Welcome to the forum!!!

Here is what I see when I read your post. "Mild, mild, mild, mild to moderate, mild".

We all have degenerative disc disease (DDD). Many of us will have similar pathology noted or even much, much worse; and be completely asymptomatic. I was unlucky enough to be one of the people with mild looking imaging, but severe symptoms. For years I was told that the severity of my symptoms is not justified by the pathology noted on my MRI. Luckily for me, they were wrong and my L4-S1 ADR removed my low back pain.

Do your symptoms rise to the level of risking surgery?

Do your symptoms correspond to the pathology noted?

What is being recommended for you?

All the best,

Mark

Hi,
 

What Mark said is true....

Surgeons know they have to be very careful when they decide to do surgery. If you have a lot of things going on without radiculopaty, they will have a very difficult time determining what the pain generator is. If they go by their gut feeling and everthing works out, that is great. But, if it doesn't work out, the consequences can be harsh for the both of you.

You sort of have to be carefull shopping around. Try to treat it palliatively as long as you can. Try to get your doctor to give you a plan... Consider seeing a physiatrist. I guess they are good at figuring out where pain is coming from and best treating it in these situation.

Best to you. I am in the same situation.

Terry