I should probably add that my back & neck pain is due to a mva 23 years ago. I have learned to live with this back pain ( good and bad days) . I know what my limits are. This neck pain has gotten worse in the last 15 years. I had gone to my then GP who took x-rays and told me about the spurring (thinking great one more thing to live with). She gave me an rx for my arthritis. That was close to 10 years ago. I had no choice but to wait till now to see a Dr about this as I was caring for my late mother.

I am very sorry about your pain. Taking care of a family member does make us take our health and put it second.

Sounds like you need a doctor to update your MRI, it looks like you are talking about a 10 year old report. If I am misunderstanding, I apologize. If you have a new one, I would schedule an appointment with the doctor to discuss any treatment plan.

Since most of us are not doctors, it is hard to offer specific medical advice. Time to put your health first for awhile.

Wishing you well, please keep us up to date. Will be praying for low pain, and answers soon for you.

Thank you :)
This mri was taken a month ago. The GP I have now has referred me to a ns my appointment is in February. Im just a little impatient to find out what all this means.

well C5-6 is above the shoulders...C6-7 is closer to shoulders...the spurs are most likely some kind of arthritis growth....and I do not know much about the narrowing....that is the part that the report is more critical to point out as it said severe...which is not sounding good...narrowing is serious as the spinal chord passage could be what is narrowing but I am not a doctor and not as knowledgeable in how the spine is talked about as some others here are...but because I just had a neck MRI I know where C7 is and C6...I have a problem there myself...mine is not pain but a tingling sensation....hope you are able to get some answers soon

The narrowing is the space between the vertebrae, where the discs have degenerated. The arthritis is probably due to this, and your earlier accident. surgeons will probably not operate unless you are experiencing numbness in your arms or legs due to restrictions of the nerves. What medication did they give you for the pain, prescription NSAIDs?
Hope you get some help!

I have been taking Celebrex (for years) when my stomach can take it as well as aleve. I don't do well with muscle relaxers or pain medication for some reason. I do have a lot of numbness in my shoulder and mostly right arm and shoulders.
I have been in ALOT of pain these last 5+ years, but due to taking care of my mom & her medical needs I put it off.

You said you're referred to an NS... not a Neurologist..
Which is good..
Because a neurosurgeon is the most specialized .
( don't be surprised if the Dr seems a little cold or something.. I swear.. surgeons just seem to tend to be..
And neurosurgeons the most so. Sorry.. strange segue. :-) :-)

As always with new folks here..
I am sorry for the pain that brings you here.
Welcome to the CP group.

Hugs
jc

..you can " Google " any phrase from that report and get an explanation, of sorts.
For instance..

" severe narrowing AR c5-6 and 6-7.. "

I understand the impatience for answers..

Damn it..

narrowing at .. not AR

Without a full neuro exam this can mean absolutely nothing. There are lots of people who have these findings and need no intervention.
Hope all goes well.

I'm just tired of being in so much pain all the time. The one thing i will not ever do again are the cortisone / steroid injections. They did nothing for my lower back :/.

Spondylytis is inflammation or commonly referred to as arthritis of the spine. Severe narrowing of the disc spaces are commonly referred to as degenerative disc disease.....it doesn't mean a disease as one would normally consider it, it is an anatomical finding meaning that as time passes and we get older, the discs loose their hydration and become dryer and less cushioning. Depending on how old you are, it is the degree of it that matters, since almost all of us, if we are over the age of 18-21 are going to have that finding of DDD in our MRI reports. A finding of severe DDD in someone in their 20's or 30's would be considered a finding of some significance, but in someone in their 50's or older, it may be considered normal for their age.
Since yours is severe, and I don't know your age, it may not be a consideration, but a "normal" finding for someone of your age.
Arthritis can cause bone spurs to develop so that may be why you are being referred to the neurosurgeon to see if he feels that surgery may be helpful or warranted.

Auntiet,

Welcome to this group. I've had quite a few neck and back surgeries, some because I had no choice. The numbness your experiencv ll0lll0ng in your shoulder and arm could be coming from some of those disc fragments pressing on a nerve. You have to be careful with those injections because if they don't get the needle in correctly, they can cripple you and it usually doesn't help the disc problems anyway, only really for nerve issues.

Its good you're seeing a neurosurgeon because he might be able to help your pain with either meds or maybe a laminectomy. Please keep us posted.i hope he/she can relieve your pain.

Hugs,

(((((( )))))))))

Mary Ellen

Have they done an EMG ?
In most cases spine problems can be well addressed with lengthy physical therapy, massage , muscle relaxants , anti inflammatory drugs and diet adjustment.
Unless you have spinal cord compression or obvious nerve damage that causes weakness in your arms , conservative treatment is the way to go. There are also options for nerve blocks and nerve resection.
After working for a neurosurgeon I am terrified of fusions and feel bad for anyone who had them or will have them.
Many times spine pain can be addressed but once you have surgery you can't go back. So, if there is no real nerve damage on physical exam, go for more therapy.
Sometimes of the muscles and connective tissue alight properly, it will reduce pressure and inflammation on the spine, relieving the pain.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon !

Wait until you see the neurosurgeon. Discs don't dissolve, they dry out some and loose some of their height over decades.
If you think of a disc as a jelly doughnut.......on the outside is a firm outer shell, and inside is the jelly, discs are very similar to that concept.
If you were to take a jelly doughnut and leave it sitting in the box for several weeks, the outer shell will harden and possibly develop some small cracks in the shell.....the jelly on the inside, due to the air getting to it will also loose some of the fluid contained inside and dry out.......this is very similar to what occurs with discs.
It does not necessarily mean that you need surgery, or anything more than conservative treatment. Injections may relieve the pain and discomfort quite well for you, along with some physical therapy for strengthening your neck muscles etc. Since there aren't obvious signs of nerve involvement ( good thing), most of the pain from arthritis can be managed with anti inflammatory meds, physical therapy, ice and heat during flares and perhaps some TENS units to manage muscular aches and pains.
A consult with a surgeon doesn't necessarily mean you need surgery, but it is a smart move to make sure that conservative treatment will be beneficial.

I stopped into the radiology dept the other day and got a copy of my mri & x-ray film. I can see right where the problem is. I wonder now if that's why I have trouble when I try to swallow my food and even my morning pills?