Cervical radiculpathy

@kyliebum
What level of your cervical spine is compressed according to your MRI and EMG/nerve conduction study by a neuromuscular specialist? Is your spinal cord flattened/compressed or just nerve roots?

Are you working with an orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon? Pain is serious so if your doctor is dismissing you and your pain:reduce quality of life, you need a new doctor.

How old are you?

How long have you been suffering?

My advice: you want the best and most qualified minimally invasive neurosurgeon you can find who is busy. I have one such (he wrote a primer for spine surgeons on doing minimally invasive spinal surgery) and he is so busy doing surgery that the last thing he wants to do is schedule an unnecessary surgery. He has had me on a large "watchful waiting" list. I go back for my next evaluation in a couple of weeks.

I too have it. It came out of nowhere 2.5 years ago. I do have fingers and toes with osteoarthritis and I had a RHP 7 years ago. Nothing prepared me for the pain. I was screaming so loud a neighbor texted me to see if I was ok. It turns out I have a bone spur pressing on a nerve. I have had two cortisone injections a couple of years apart. They help for awhile then I go though it for a couple of weeks again. I went to Dr. Su the spinal surgeon that does this surgery and posts on youtube He happens to have his practice where I live. Evidently they don't do the surgery unless you get numbness down your arm. I'm still in the pain mode. The only thing that even helps me a little is ice. And you're right the surgery through the front of the neck looks awful.

I was diagnosed with cervical stenosis and about 15 years ago. I had pain in my upper right back and shoulder blade, pins and needles with weakness in my right arm and hand. The MRI showed narrowing of the spinal canal and some disc issues.

My Ortho sent me to a pain management doctor who gave me 2 injections into the C spine. That, along with PT, really helped and my symptoms subsided.

That was after 2 other surgeons had told me I needed surgery immediately or I risked myelopathy or paralysis. I was a nervous wreck but thank God my first spinal surgeon did not push surgery once he saw me improving. He told me not to go by what a MRI shows, but go by how you feel.

I had experienced pain along with the other nerve compression symptoms which was intense for a while. I was fortunate that the I jections and PT worked for me and, while I may occasionally get some neck discomfort or tingles in my hand, I have been able to avoid surgery. I was told I would need a spinal fusion and that terrified me.

I don't know if you have tried injections or PT but if not, perhaps it is worth considering. I would do anything possible to avoid spinal surgery.

You should talk to an orthopedic surgeon who does spine surgery. Also, in the meantime, try Botox injections and/or an MFR therapist. I did everything and finally had enough of the pain. You do need time to put the right doctors in place and learn about your condition, the risks and rewards of surgery.

@gussie I had surgery through the neck It took three and a half hours. Please see my new comment on the spine health support group

@gussie please see my comment on the Spine health support group

@joannehart It would be helpful if you could post the link to the comment you are talking about as there are many discussions in the spine group. You may be able to edit this post if you are fast enough. It gives you a couple hours. If you click the 3 dots and see edit on the menu, you can edit your post.

It is under Locking C1 and 2. Sorry I don’t see any dots so don’t know how to do it

I have that diagnosis also, am doing the recommended exercises which don't help much. I find the pain mostly tolerable and I think this is something I just have to live with. I had surgery on my lumbar spine which went well, but there's no way I'd let a surgeon touch my cervical spine.