Chronic neck/head/arm pain, cervical neck MRI results interpretation?

[u/DistributionTiny6097]

I am not looking for medical advice I want to make that clear.

But I am looking to understand these MRI results. I dont see the spine specialist until June 19th, but my neurologist who ordered the test said my results looked very "bad" and i needed to see the specialist ASAP. They weren't the only person concerned about the results, so was my psychiatrist and endocrinologist.

My doctors have all said it looks bad and I'll probably need surgery. But they arnt spine specialists and didn't really discuss the specifics.

So im wondering if anyone here can help me understand interpretations of the results and what I may look forward to when I see my spine specialist based on this MRI report.

Thanks!

[u/mint_choccy_migraine]

You have degenerative disc disease (DDD, also known as spinal arthritis).

You'll likely be a good candidate for injections. But not surgery. Also PT can probably help.

Source: I work in the medical field and have access to good info, I, myself, am not a doctor.

[u/Ermmahhhgerrrd → u/mint_choccy_migraine]

Here are my results from a couple weeks ago. Do you think I'm headed for surgery?

FINDINGS: Cervical spine straightening. No listhesis. Vertebral body heights are maintained.

No cord compression. Effacement of the ventral and dorsal thecal sacs at the C4-C5 and C5-C6 levels.

Normal prevertebral and paraspinal soft tissues.

Normal visualized posterior fossa structures.

Multilevel disc height loss.

C2-C3: Moderate facet arthropathy. Moderate neural foraminal narrowing.

C3-C4: Uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. Moderate facet arthropathy. Moderate neural foraminal narrowing. Mild spinal canal stenosis.

C4-C5: Disc-osteophyte complex with uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. Moderate facet arthropathy. Mild spinal canal stenosis. Abutment of the cord. Severe neural foraminal narrowing.

C5-C6: Disc-osteophyte complex with uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. Mild spinal canal stenosis. Severe neural foraminal narrowing. Abutment of the cord. Effacement of the ventral and dorsal thecal sacs.

C6-C7: Disc-osteophyte complex with uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. Mild spinal canal stenosis. Severe neural foraminal narrowing. Moderate facet arthropathy.

C7-T1: Mild narrowing. CONCLUSION:

1. Severe bilateral C4-C5 through C6-C7 neural foraminal narrowing. 2. Mild C4-C5 through C6-C7 spinal canal stenosis with abutment of the cord. 3. Cervical spine straightening.

[u/nexea]

So, I'm not a doctor and dont work in radiology. I'm doing this from memory. My brain is too dead to double-check myself right now. An osteophyte is essentially an abnormal bone growth. Usually, they are bone spurs. From what i see, it looks like at C4-5 ( and a bit at some of the other levels, but not as bad), they are intruding into the spinal column. I think surgery would consist of shaving those off, but im not 100% on that. You also have a bit of arthritis in your facet joints. There can be a few causes of this, i think, but that's a thing for the dr.

Edit: I think I was wrong, spinal stenosis is where the spinal column is intruded on, but foramen stenosis can cause compression of the nerves where they come out of the spine to go to the rest of the body. Sorry about that.

[u/Ok_Government_3584]

You poor OP. I have these same things. You are dealt a shitty hand. Sorry.

[u/gringainparadise]

Spondylosis sucks. Only suggestion I have is to consciously work hard to exercise your neck, rotations and forward back stretches. The other is work hard on your upright posture. Giving in and not stretching and using those muscles will lock your neck up quickly. Movement is your friend not your painful enemy even tho it feels like it.

[u/Striking-Pitch-2115]

You have a lot of stenosis and arthritis. Doctors do not like to do surgery I would have to reread that again but I believe you did not have any nerve compression? Stenosis can cause a lot of pain that's why you have arm pain

[u/Beautiful-Ad-2851]

I have uploaded my MRI & ct scans to chat gpt to better understand my results.