Neuropathy and Cervical Stenosis?
I have been reading the evolving thread on neuropathy and lumbar stenosis with particular interest. I have idiopathic sensory-motor PN, giving me terrible balance and difficulty walking, even the shortest distances. In March 2022, I was diagnosed with cervical stenosis (“critical stenosis centrally at C4-C5, C5-C6 without cord signal change”: my neurosurgeon’s note). I had had no cervical-area symptoms then; I had been looking for an answer to my lower-body PN. That I had cervical stenosis came as a surprise. The neurosurgeon offered cervical surgery but cautioned that even a positive outcome might have no effect on my bad balance and walking difficulty. We decided on –– and are continuing with –– a wait-and-see approach to my cervical stenosis. Reading about others’ experiences with PN and lumbar surgeries has me wondering if any of you have ever had cervical stenosis surgery, only to be pleasantly surprised to find that it helped reduce or even eliminate your lower-body PN symptoms.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.
i am 69 and have severe spinal stenosis, scoliosis and all the others. I live with pain and it gets boring. I often thought of surgery and after mris, catscan and neuro surgeon who told me he would not suggest surgery since it would 13 hours to fix me and felt cure was not in the outcome. Said options shots, medication and have a good life. Most surgeries i hear about do no good just worse. People in nursing homes from surgery. I live with it and suffer. I wish you the best!
I have multiple compressed discs and scoliosis and have similarly avoided surgery after a thorough study of ( mostly unsatisfactory) surgical outcomes. Shiatsu massage, swimming and walking help me.
@jchet
I had C5C6 stenosis and spinal cord flattening due to disc bulge/herniation and bone spurs. My symptoms included neck pain/stiffness, daily headaches, arm/hand weakness which caused me to drop things and made handwriting worse, loss of bladder control/leakage, and feeling like legs/feet were in cement boots making walking very difficult. I was diagnosed with cervical spondylitic myelopathy which is injury to spinal cord and ACDF surgery on C5C6 was necessary to relieve pressure from spinal cord and prevent further progression and worsening of symptoms. After surgery, I was relieved of some of my symptoms which I was glad because the surgeon said that some do not fully regain function because damage to spinal cord is permanent and irreversible.
I live in RI and went to OrthoRI and had Dr. Ian Madom do my surgery. He had many good ratings online which made me choose him. I have no regret having the surgery and wish other doctors diagnosed me sooner so I could have had the surgery sooner (was not properly diagnosed for 5 years). I am currently 54 years old and female.
hi and glad your surgery went well. I will deal with my issues since doctors use us as lab rat. I didn't think my golden years were going to be this way but they are and sorry but this is what it is. Too many surgeries to people with no good outcome. Stenosis is not a good card hand to play but you must.