Hi Pamela35,

thank you for your reply.

I want to try acupuncture but I have to make sure that I find a really good acupuncturist near where I live in Melbourne. I can't drive due to the pain therefore I need someone to take me there as long as it is not too far. I haven't checked if the transport accident insurer will pay for this.
I drink about 1-1.5L of water daily which I struggle to drink because it makes me bloated and my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) can get worse.

While I am writing to you I am feeling a burning fire on the left of the neck between C6 and T3 roughly. It may be caused by nerve compression, muscles, soft tissues. Also string pins and needles in my left hand index, middle and ring fingers. Some referred pain is happening on and off down in my feet.

I need a gentle physiotherapist to re-align my neck. I am a bit worried about chiros and osteos.

I have been taking Rose-hip tablets, magnesium, Vitamin D, Zinc and Turmeric.

Recently I haven't been able to manage my pain despite the medications.
I am putting a lot of pressure on my specialists to make them aware that the current plan is not working for me.

I feel like a zombie daily due to the effects of the drugs. I spend my day almost doing nothing for fear of getting worse pain. It has been like this for the last 2 weeks.

This is my recent cervical report:
Procedure Date: 28 January 2023 Report Date: 29 January 2023
Report: MRI CERVICAL SPINE
Clinical Details: Longstanding neck pain with left arm radiation, numbness, also right arm numbness and pain, both arms-referred pain.
Findings: Approximately 2mm retrolisthesis of C4 on C5 and 1.5mm retrolisthesis of the C5 on C6 vertebral body
noted. Multilevel loss of intervertebral disc space height in keeping with moderate-marked degenerative disc disease.
The craniocervical junction appears within normal limits.
C2/3 : No significant posterior disc protrusion, spinal canal or neural foraminal narrowing.
C3/4: Discophytic lipping associated with minor spinal canal and moderate right neural foraminal narrowing with contact of the exiting right C4 nerve root.
Mild left neural foraminal narrowing without appreciable contact of the exiting left C4 nerve root noted.
C4/5: Pseudo disc protrusion along with discophytic lipping associated with moderate left and mild right neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting left and impinging the exiting right C5 nerve root.
C5/6: Spondylolisthesis and uncovering of the intervertebral disc in conjunction with discophytic lipping associated with mild spinal canal narrowing along with moderate left neural foraminal narrowing seen impinging the exiting left C6 nerve root. Mild right neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting right
C6 nerve root also noted.
C6/7 : Uncovertebral osteophytosis with associated moderate bilateral neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting C7 nerve roots. No significant spinal canal narrowing.
C7/T1: Discophytic lipping associated with minor spinal canal narrowing along with mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting C8 nerve roots.
Conclusion: There is minor multilevel grade 1 spondylolisthesis along with spondylotic change characterised by moderate -marked multilevel degenerative disc disease.
There is discophytic lipping and pseudo disc protrusion associated with spinal canal and neural foraminal narrowing at a number of levels as above.

It doesn't mean much to me, but I understand protrusion, narrowing, impingement, foramina

Best regards

Alfred