Question: There is a mild angular kyphosis centred at C5C6 where there is disc narrowing, disc dehydration and osteophytosis. Axial scans show a small right paracentral disc protrusion which impinges on the surface of the cord. There is bony encroachment on the exit foramina bilaterally. No other finding Significant spondylosis demonstrated at C5C6 with a small right paracentral disc abutting the anterior cord and bilateral osteophytosis is this serious and what is the prognosis... will i need an operation?

My follow up questions is;- I had severe neck pain for approximately six weeks... this has curtailed as I am attending a physiotherapist who is taking a very safe approach.. an expert in her field.. ultrasound .. gentle manipulation etc.. I have mild pins and needles on my hands.. this all started off with arm pain but all of this is gone.. I am definitely improving as I exercise every day... gentle exercise.. I am concerned about the disc.. also I have another scan...lower lumbar degenerative disc disease with right sided L4L5 disc protrusion.. improvement from a scan taken in 2012 which showed a large right sided L4-5 disc protrusion. There is degenerative disc disease of moderate degree L5-5 where there is moderate disc narrowing with loss of disc signal. No evidence of spinal stenosis is shown. No focal bone destruction is shown.. this gives me trouble from time to time and I have had an epidural done in February.. would I benefit from surgery here... I meant to say L5S1.. also small schomori's nodes in lower dorsal discs and the L1-2 disc// upper lumbar discs are normal

Thanks for this information. I am just wondering if it is normal to be still in pain around the neck area after eight weeks... will this settle.... and also sleeping is a big problem... any suggestions on sleeping methods... i have slight pins and needles on my hand from time to time but this is probably the nerve just let me know.. thanks so much for all your help

Are the inections safe? Would acupuncture be good? Do you think that surgery may be possible at some point.. my biggest problem at the moment is night time.. any particular mattress you would recommend? Thanks

Thanks.. I am finding your information very helpful... A question.. the pain I experience is more down my right side and often causing leg weakness.. for example right now.. could the disc issue in my lumbar spine be causing the leg weakness.. also can lower back pain cause upper back pain and neck pain... thanks... do you think I would benefit from an operation in my lower back judging from what I told you.. thanks

Thanks so much XXXXXXX . you can tell I am an anxious sort of individual.. I was at Physiotherapy today..as I told you I am with an excellent physiotherapist.. who lectures also here in UCD.. well known.. she works on my neck. . and states she won't do traction as there is no indication to do so.. she works on me weekly..and gently..there is no arm pain now only neck pain.. she works on my lower back also. do you think traction would ease the pain in my neck.. i had dreadful back pain at one time which eventually settled after an epidural.. gives me trouble from time to time but i do my exercises.. my neck flares from time to time and my physio does not want me to do exercises on my neck for the next week when I will see her again.. it is not a disky pain.. more stiffness.. just hoping it settles.. nine weeks now

Thanks XXXXXXX .. is it always quite sore when someone is working on you.. it is taking time to bring down the inflammation but my physio is taking it very slowly..is nine weeks along time to have uncomfort and difficulty sleeping around the neck area given my condition... i really am trying to avoid surgery and hope i will not in this sort of discomfort all my life or it would not be worth living

Thanks XXXXXXX . have you seen scans in the neck much worse than this.and have you yourself ever conducted neck surgery

and one last thing on that injury have the surgeries been successful.the reason I am asking all these questions is for a second opinion as I am attending an orprod consultant in one months time who has a stong connection with my a physiotherapist and I want to make sure that if he decides to do surgery that I am knowledgeable. He has read the scans already and wrote to me and said that he does'nt see a need for an operation at this point as there is not enough pressure on the spinal cord unless the symptoms got worse..he also has a good reputation. He saw the scan in February 10th, 2014.. is there any possibility of knowing when this all happened.. hence disc issues? thaniks so much I meant say that I had a brain scan done also and they were clear.. basically he said that he would not advise anything unless symptoms were progressing which happened .. the reason I had the scan was for arm pain and pins and needles..then the pain all went to the neck area when I started to get physio... he basically said that there is sufficient pressure on the spinal cord to warrant surgical intervention. I also had a brain scan which was clear and he said that there was no serious underlying pathology to cause the pins and needles

Thanks so much for all your help. I hope I do not have too many more questions.. when you are going through this sort of stuff.. it is difficult which you understand having had back issues.. XXXXX