I had an MRI after an injury at work last March so this became a workers Compensation case.. The results stated : Broad-based protrusion at C5-6 causing effacement of the ventral CSF space. Broad-based central disc protrusion, essentric to the right, causing effacement of th ventral thecal sac. there is uncovertebral and facet hypertrpohic arthropathy with mild left neuroforaminal stenosis. I was put on light duty and after numerous rounds of steroid injections and physical therapy they offered surgery. During light duty i was hit, punch and slapped many many times on the left side of my head, neck and shoulders. One day the combative patient flipped backwards in her wheelchair and i instinctively reached out to stop the chair from flipping her backwards. I felt immediate pain up my left arm through my neck. The doctors passed the pain off as the same condition as before and would not repeat an MRI. In October they did surgery. I had a posterior foramity, disectomy, laminectomy. After more physical therapy i was urged to go back to work although i continued to tell them i was having pain and numbess and headaches still with little to no improvement. The doctor finally decided to have an MRI done, i believe to prove i was being a sissy about it all. The MRI was done a few weeks ago and the results were: Right paracentral disc protrusion is present that abuts the cord. This disc measures 12.8 mm in size. The left foramen is patent. The right neural foramen is mildly narrowed. At C5-6 right paracentral protrusion is seen which abuts and flattens the cord. This is fairly large. The surgeon called and said he recommends i have a fusion at C5-6 and i am scheduled for March 3rd. My questions are this: Is this the same issue as the first time? Could this have been here before the 1st surgery and missed after the combative patient? Could this have been caused from the combative patient? What does all this mean in layman s terms? The doctor is the finest surgeon around but he is condescending to say the least and I have a hard time getting answers that make sense. Any information you could give me would be a great help. Thank you, Jennifer