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Has anyone dealt successfully with Cervical stenosis without surgery?
Spine Health | Last Active: Nov 24 8:03pm | Replies (86)Comment receiving replies
@isabelle7
I think you may want to get an orthopedic doctor to have you get a cervical MRI to see if your spinal cord is being affected. I would not rely on a PT to advise on medical tests and procedures. They are supposed to help you strengthen muscles and improve function, not diagnose. I had cervical spondylotic myelopathy c5c6 and had ACDF surgery. Myelopathy is spinal cord compression that can cause permanent damage/injury if not decompressed. No amount of physical therapy would have improved my spinal cord compression. Surgery was necessary to stop the further progression of arm/hand/leg weakness and loss of bladder control. I was diagnosed with this at 52. I am now 55 and have permanent damage due to my condition not being properly diagnosed over 3 years. I took myself to an orthopedic spine doctor who immediately diagnosed me based on clinical symptoms and MRI.
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@dlydailyhope
Thanks for this info. I'm so sorry you went through that. I do not have any weakness or loss of bladder control. I just have some pain in my arm at times that has always been thought to be from tendinitis. But it could be from my neck issue. I think the reason the PT said he didn't think I needed the MRI yet is because I don't have any sort of weakness, or tingling or numbness. Any thoughts on that? He said many people have what I have and live with it for their lives without needing surgery. I don't have spondylotic myelopahty. Here's what the results showed on my recent cervical x-ray.
No acute fracture.
Vertebral body heights are maintained.
Intervertebral disc heights are normal.
There is worsening anterior spurring spanning C5 and C6.
There is similar uncovertebral joint hypertrophy.
There is worsening, now severe narrowing of the right neuroforamina at C6-C7 secondary to progressing degenerative changes. The remaining levels on the right side have also shown worsening neuroforaminal stenosis.
The left side is stable, with narrowing noted at C6 to C7.
Prevertebral soft tissues are unremarkable.