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Suggest Treatment For Severe Pain Radiating From Neck To Left Shoulder
Question: I am in a LOT of pain (neck radiating to left shoulder and tingling up back of head and burning in left ear), with double vision in left eye. I also have limited mobility. VERY painful, tightness, heaviness in my legs and cannot stand or walk for more than a couple of minutes without a shopping cart. My lumber spine MRI didn't show anything in particular. The cervical spine showed the following. Can you tell me if this is causing my excruciating pain in the neck area AND legs with limited mobility. My doc isn't seeing me for another 2 weeks so I have no clue what this cervical MRI result means. Thanks.
The cervical cord has a normal caliber. There are no areas of
abnormal cord signal. No masses or fluid collections are seen in
the spinal canal or paravertebral soft tissues.
Multilevel degenerative changes are identified with diffuse
degenerative disc desiccation and disc space narrowing, most
prominent at C4-5 through C6-7.
C2-3: Unremarkable
C3-4: Mild facet arthropathy. Small central disc protrusion.
Minimal central spinal stenosis. No foraminal stenosis.
C4-5: Moderate left facet arthropathy. Mild uncovertebral
hypertrophy and right facet arthropathy. Moderate left foraminal
stenosis. No central spinal stenosis. Mild right foraminal
stenosis.
C5-6: Moderate to severe left and mild right facet arthropathy
and mild uncovertebral hypertrophy results in mild right and mild
to moderate left foraminal stenosis. Small central disc
protrusion but no spinal stenosis.
C6-7: Moderate left and mild right facet arthropathy and mild
uncovertebral hypertrophy and small central disc protrusion
results in mild central spinal and minimal foraminal stenosis.
C7-T1: Mild facet arthropathy. No stenosis.
IMPRESSION: Mild cervical spondylosis with up to mild central
spinal and foraminal stenosis. Predominantly left-sided facet
arthropathy.
The cervical cord has a normal caliber. There are no areas of
abnormal cord signal. No masses or fluid collections are seen in
the spinal canal or paravertebral soft tissues.
Multilevel degenerative changes are identified with diffuse
degenerative disc desiccation and disc space narrowing, most
prominent at C4-5 through C6-7.
C2-3: Unremarkable
C3-4: Mild facet arthropathy. Small central disc protrusion.
Minimal central spinal stenosis. No foraminal stenosis.
C4-5: Moderate left facet arthropathy. Mild uncovertebral
hypertrophy and right facet arthropathy. Moderate left foraminal
stenosis. No central spinal stenosis. Mild right foraminal
stenosis.
C5-6: Moderate to severe left and mild right facet arthropathy
and mild uncovertebral hypertrophy results in mild right and mild
to moderate left foraminal stenosis. Small central disc
protrusion but no spinal stenosis.
C6-7: Moderate left and mild right facet arthropathy and mild
uncovertebral hypertrophy and small central disc protrusion
results in mild central spinal and minimal foraminal stenosis.
C7-T1: Mild facet arthropathy. No stenosis.
IMPRESSION: Mild cervical spondylosis with up to mild central
spinal and foraminal stenosis. Predominantly left-sided facet
arthropathy.
Brief Answer:
Your MRI scan shows all the cause of your problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have read your query.
Your MRI scan shows all the cause of your problem.
Due to facet arthropathy and foraminal stenosis you have lot of pain (neck radiating to left shoulder and tingling up back of head and burning in left ear.
Foraminal stenosis causes compression of spinal cord and nerves which supply your limbs, which is cause of pain and tingling sensation.
Facet joint arthropathy casuses painful movements in you.
All you need is to have rest and take tab. aceclofenac+thiocolchicoside three times a day, pregabaling 75mg at night by prescription of your local doctor.
Apply hot packs for 30 mins in morning and evening.
If pain does not subside even after 10 days then you can have steroid injection in most involved facet joint.
I hope it helps.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
Your MRI scan shows all the cause of your problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have read your query.
Your MRI scan shows all the cause of your problem.
Due to facet arthropathy and foraminal stenosis you have lot of pain (neck radiating to left shoulder and tingling up back of head and burning in left ear.
Foraminal stenosis causes compression of spinal cord and nerves which supply your limbs, which is cause of pain and tingling sensation.
Facet joint arthropathy casuses painful movements in you.
All you need is to have rest and take tab. aceclofenac+thiocolchicoside three times a day, pregabaling 75mg at night by prescription of your local doctor.
Apply hot packs for 30 mins in morning and evening.
If pain does not subside even after 10 days then you can have steroid injection in most involved facet joint.
I hope it helps.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thank you. I'm still confused -- is this foraminal stenosis also causing my limited mobility and leg pain even though it's in the cervical spine? And it shows mild to moderate, so is that enough to cause this kind of severe disabling pain (the mri isn't showing "severe" stenosis). Does this mri show I have a Myelopathy?
Brief Answer:
Every patient has individual cervical foramen diameter.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your query again.
All the nerves of body pass through cervical spine.
That is the reason of your leg pain.
In some of the patients even mild cervical stenosis cause pain, i.e every patient has individual cervical foramen diameter.
Generally, presence of compromised spinal canal with pressure on the spinal cord in an appropriate location to explain a patient’s symptoms is generally sufficient to make the diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, so you have myelopathy.
If your symptoms aggravate with time and even with treatment as stated above, then you may need surgery to remove the pressure from the spinal cord. The surgery is performed to prevent the progression of symptoms; clinical improvement may or may not occur.
I hope it helps you.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
Every patient has individual cervical foramen diameter.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your query again.
All the nerves of body pass through cervical spine.
That is the reason of your leg pain.
In some of the patients even mild cervical stenosis cause pain, i.e every patient has individual cervical foramen diameter.
Generally, presence of compromised spinal canal with pressure on the spinal cord in an appropriate location to explain a patient’s symptoms is generally sufficient to make the diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, so you have myelopathy.
If your symptoms aggravate with time and even with treatment as stated above, then you may need surgery to remove the pressure from the spinal cord. The surgery is performed to prevent the progression of symptoms; clinical improvement may or may not occur.
I hope it helps you.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thank you.
Brief Answer:
You are welcome.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome to ask any type of query in future also.
Good luck and take care.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
You are welcome.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome to ask any type of query in future also.
Good luck and take care.
Thanks.
Dr.Singh.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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