Recently Diagnosed
I finally got the results from my imaging and got diagnosed with osteoarthritis and cervical stenosis. I also have some brutitis, maybe around the hip area.
Im so glad it's not MS. These results explain why Im dropping things, feel like a klutz and having hand pain. I dont know much about stenosis yet but it could also contribute to my bowel/bladder issues. That makes me a little scared.
Im going to talk to my neurologist about it but he's not the best, he's convient for me, only one hour away.
Im just so unsure how to approach this.
I did start seeing a new chiropractor, so we are working on it. I do my own physical therapy at home because I've been so many times. Maybe look into a massage therapist.
Anyway, just blabbing away.
Anyone with stenosis or useful info would be a great support to me. Thanks!!
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@januaryjane I’m sorry you have a diagnosis of stenosis. It can affect the spinal canal or the foramen space where the nerve roots exit the spine. Stenosis is a physical problem of compression. I would recommend seeking an opinion from a spine surgeon over a chiropractor. A chiropractor may do something that may make it worse. I had cervical stenosis in the spinal canal and all I had to do to rupture a disc was turn my head while I was stretching. You don’t really know how weak a disc can be and an abrupt chiropractic adjustment may be able to damage a disc. Physical therapy may calm things down for awhile, but since stenosis is a structural issue, the resolution likely may be surgery. Muscle spasms may add more pressure to a compressed area.
Have you been to a neuromuscular neurologist and had an EMG/nerve conduction tests along with a biopsy in the leg for small fibber neuropathy?
I've had a nerve conductiin test that revealed i have moderate sensimotor polyneuropathy. No biopsies.
The biopsies is for small fiber neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy. When your body has problems controlling body temperature, heart rate and arrhythmias. I have severe axonal sensorimotor peripheral polyneuropathy, small fiber neuropathy, cardiac autonomic neuropathy aka CAN and dysautonomia neuropathy. From small fiber neuropathy down can only be tested by punch biopsies. They take the nerve send it off for testing. It also makes sure you don’t have amyloidosis.
What does this have to do with stenosis?
Oh really. I'll have to look into that. Hmmm I have been getting trigger point injections which help some.
Did you have surgery?
@januaryjane Yes, I did have surgery with a fusion of C5/C6. There was a disc osteophyte complex pressing into my spinal cord (bone spurs and ruptured disc). The surgery relieved all the symptoms I had and resolved all the spine related pain. I asked for a fusion without hardware, so I stayed in a neck brace for 3 months until it fused. They used bone bank bone which is just the mineral matrix that is left after the cells are cleaned out if it. If I did not have this surgery, I would have some level of disability. I could see how fast my symptoms were changing, so it was a good choice to fix this before permanent damage occurred.
I also had c4-5 posterior disc osteophyte complex causing mild mass effect upon cord.
I looked it up but am not very familiar with it yet.
@januaryjane are you considering spine surgery? If you are already compromised with weakness and dropping things, bowel and bladder issues and don’t wish that to be a permanent condition, it would be worth finding out what a surgeon could do for you. Do you have questions you would ask a spine surgeon?
I just recently got my mri results back but haven't really talked to anyone yet.
My neurologist said he would look at the films and let me know what he thinks. But he didn't think mild stenosis would cause urinary problems. A Rheumatologist ordered the mris and didn't go into depth because he was looking for inflammatory arthritis. So, im kind of at the beginning. But I've been getting trigger point injections with steroids for years, which help and tried cervical nerve ablations last year that were not successful. Im seeing a new pain doctor at the end of the month. I've done numerous rounds of pt that really don't help in the longterm.
My neurologist knows about weakness and pain and dropping things but only offered pt at the time since my last nerve conduction test revealed no issues in my hands. That was at least four years ago.
You get shotty treatment/pickings around here. Most specialist are in 2 major cities where I live so that means hours of driving which I can't do all the time.