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Cervical Spinal Stenosis: Whom should I see?
I have been having pain in my right shoulder/arm for over a year. I also have been having upper back pain and pain under my left breast/rib area (that pain has been going on for over 5 years). I had a cervical MRI in October 2018 and it shows stenosis, bulging disks, and bone spurs. Here is part of the MRI report that my doctor gave me:
1. C3-4: Posterior marginal osteophytes most pronounced on the RIGHT with mile stenosis RIGHT lateral recess zone. Uncovertebral joint osteophytes on the RIGHT with mile stenosis of the RIGHT foramen.
2. C4-5: Slight posterior annular protrusion and marginal spurs on the LEFT. No significant stenosis.
3. C5-6: Mild posterior annular protrusion and endplate spurring most pronounced in the lateral recess zones LEFT slightly more so than RIGHT mildly narrows the lateral recess zones bilaterally. Central AP diameter of the canal 8.2 mm.
4. c6-7: Disc mildly narrowed with Modic type II signal in the endplates. Mild disc protrusion. Central AP diameter of the canal 8.1 mm.
I was sent to physical therapy and have been going twice a week since October. The shoulder pain is somewhat better and I now have much better range of motion in my shoulder (still can't really put my hand behind my back). The upper back pain is actually worse and is now radiating into my upper chest/pec area, sometimes on the left and sometimes on the right. That area is even very tender to the touch when I'm having pain. The below left breast/rib pain seems slightly worse as well. It also comes and goes and very often is extremely uncomfortable at night and sometimes have to sleep half sitting up (I've been using a bean bag as a pillow to prop myself up.
My doctor didn't seem very concerned about the MRI results and said I should get good relief from PT. Here's my issue - I'm going on 4 months of PT and not seeing as much relief as I'd hoped and today I was doing some "Googling" about stenosis and read that normal AP diameter should be approximately 17 mm and anything below 10 mm is called "absolute stenosis" - mine is 8.1 mm and 8.2 mm. That seems like more than "nothing".
Should I see someone else about this issue? I don't want to jump right to seeing a surgeon, but I'm not sure who I should see - or should I just go back to my PCP and ask her these questions?
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Hello my name is LeighAnn and I am knew here, just needing someone to talk to me and help me to know that I am not alone. For the past few years I have known about my problem in my c4, c5, and c6 area in my next but it seem to have gotten worst over the last few months. If I move around too much like cleaning or moving things around I start getting nauseated to the point of having to vomit and then for awhile my stomach stays nauseated and I am either vomiting or sitting on the stool doing you know what and afterwards I get this fullness feeling in the back of my head that is terrible and feels like so much pressure is building in my head and it makes me afraid to even lay down at night. The tingling and heat sensation that goes from my neck area to down my left arm into my fingers are very scary. Just need to know if other people are going through this
@jehovahgod1 Hello LeighAnn. Welcome to Connect. With cervical spine issues there can also be muscles spasms that start shifting the vertebrae. Inside the cervical vertebrae are the vertebral arteries that supply part of the brain. If those arteries are getting kinked or stretched because the vertebrae are in a bad position, it may cause nausea and vertigo.
That would happen to me prior to my spine surgery because my vertebrae were rotating on their own without me turning my head. It all calmed down after spine surgery to decompress my spinal cord from the pressure of a herniated disc. Something like this isn’t going to get better on it own and because every signal from the brain to the body moves through the neck, it can affect other parts of the body and affect function. Some patients end up in wheelchairs and become incontinent when spinal cord damage happens from compression.
Are you seeking an opinion from a spine surgeon? It’s important to get answers and know what the future may be and what choices you can make to prevent disability.
Hello this is Lesley reporting post Acdf surgery at Mayo Phoenix. I had C4/5 and 5/6 diskecktomy and fusions. They used 3D printed cages to fit my personal disc spaces and then fixed plates in the front for fusion. The surgery went fine at first but by morning I was vomiting profusely and in an unusual amount of pain. I stayed drugged up the next night but on day two was sent for xray pre discharge and they discovered a complication had happened in surgery, not the neuro surgeons fault at all. Some info about my lungs caused me to have a pneumothorax and I had to get a chest tube put in. It's been a very rough and painful time but already on day four my incision looks great and I'm eating anything I want here in the hospital. Delicious salmon btw!
The care has been amazing by my nurses and medical team. However I don't remember anyone reading me a risk list at all pre op, no not once. I fell into a 2% risk category and hit the jackpot but actually did not know the risks so be sure to ASK!!!
My tube is out, I'm improving daily but feel weak from all the drugs I think. And the trauma.
I think the staff here are top notch and this has been so much better than any previous hospitals I've been in in Oregon for sure. Well worth the trip.
Any questions just ask, I think I'm getting discharged tomorrow day five.
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1 ReactionThanks for all the reassurances!
The preop Dr appointment the day before was very disappointing. I had wanted to ask my surgeon some questions but his nurse just handed me a printout what not to do post op.
Anyway it's a week today since I had ACDF on 4/5 and 5/6
Somehow I was very sick over the first night and day. Then on the discharge they sent me for an X-ray to check the hardware and found why U had been complaining so much!
I had one of those complications that only 2% of patients get , had to stay 5 nights. I had a pneumothorax, no one knows how or why it happened but then I was taken off for twilight sleep and a tiny
The other things like
@jeanstewart Leslie, I’m glad to hear from you and know that you are getting better. I agree, Mayo staff are very compassionate. Will you be following up with a pulmonologist during your recovery? Take it easy since your body has been through a lot and recovery takes some time. I slept a lot after my cervical fusion.
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1 Reaction@janagain hello again! I only just read your post and am wondering if you are still facing surgery on the 24 Th?. I will pray for your recovery and future. At 75 I always considered myself very young but the old spine was busy degenerating and making osteophytes ! I had a rare complication in surgery. I stayed six days in hospital. I'm still struggling with nausea and weakness all over my body. I had to have a chest tube placed after surgery.
I was horribly nervous as well going into this. My surgeon reassured me I have a very good fusion and the cages and screws are all holding fast. My lungs are healed up as well. I'm focusing on the positives here!
. I do hope you have a successful surgery and recovery. Follow the rules closely and be sure not to overdo things. I hope you have help afterwards as well
That's important as well. I also know now not to compare ourselves to younger patients who have endless energy and quick recoveries. All the best, I hope to see you on here with good news!
Hi Lesley, Jennifer, LeighAnn,
My surgery was rescheduled and it's on the 26th of November. And it will be here before I know it. Lesley, how are you doing today? It sounds like you had a successful surgery. Thank you for posting, it gives me hope.
This is one heck of an ORDEAL!
I've never been so concerned as I am now about how this could potentially change my life, better or worse. I just keep busy till the day comes. I'm making a baby quilt for a very good friend. Her sister asked me to make it for her and all the guests at the baby shower signed 5" squares with colored pens etc. to make this a really special quilt.
Thank you all for your support, it means ALOT to me. HUGS!!!
Janagain and again and again lol
The 26 th will be here before you know it. Ask all the questions you can think of. I didn't. It's two weeks now and I don't know why I still have such neck pain and lack of strength. Maybe the pneumothorax has something to do with it but it's like having a stiff sore neck all the time. I flew home though and that was very tough packing and moving with neck stress from my hard brace I wore. I'd like to know is all this sore neck at the back and over my shoulders normal? I never had any pain before surgery at all. My spinal cord was compressed but never painful. I've seen young people having no pain post op. Is anyone out there who can tell me is this pain is normal?