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Spondylosis, Stenosis & Degenetative Disk Disease. CT results

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kris34
kris34

Hello all

I am a 34 Yr old woman and I have been having back pain since i was in my early 20s. I have faught with drs and specialsists through out this time to find a diagnosis. I have had countless xrays which through the yrs have showed a number of different things such as mild degenetative disc disease, narrowing, loss of cervical lordosis, bone spurs, muscle spams etc. I have tried accupunture, physio, massage, & chiroprator.  I have tried NSAIDS, cymbalta, analgesics, muscle relaxers. My dr recently put my on Lyrica, but i have not started it yet as, cymbalta has made me gain 25+lbs and i stopped taking and am now trying to lose that weight. I do have alot of other symptoms such as severe fatigue, aches and weakness in my arms and legs. My whole back aches, not just my neck.  I recently had a CT of my neck done, as they refused to do my whole spine when i asked because of my age!!!!! so the results of the ct of my cervical neck are:

Cervical spondylosis is present.  The degenerative disc disease is mid to moderate at c3-4 and c4-5, moderative- severe at c5-c6 and mild at c6-7.  at the c3-c4 level mild righ neural foramina narrowing and minimal right central canal stenosi. at the c4-5 level, mild bilateral nural formamina narrowing and mild central canal stenosis.  at the c5-6 level SEVERE, left greater that right, neural foraminal narrowing and moderate central canal stenosis greater on the left side.  Likely there is at least impingement on the exiting left c6 nerve root. 

At the c6-7 moderate to severe left and mild right neural foramina narrowing and mild left sided central canal stenosis.

Impression:  Degenerative disc disease resulting in multilevel neroforaminal and central canal stenosis as described above.

I asked my dr to have the rest of my back ct done now as the back pain is not just in my neck and that is where we only ct was done. previous x-rays that i have had done in my neck had not showed these problems only the ct did. she said that we would do a lumber xray first.

I do not want to go throught the same process I did to get these results, obviously xray is not going to show my problems as it didnt with my neck.  I feel like giving up, I am in so much pain and my life is at a stand still. I have a 4 yr old son, I am a nurse. I am currently off work due to this condition. I feel like my drs are not taking me seriously maybe due to my age.  When i mention surgery my dr says oh no that you dont want to do, its too risky.

Well so I have to live like this, does anyone have any reccomendations of what type of dr or specialisit i need to see and anyone that can help me. I cant keep living like this.

Thanks

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • samantha91573
    samantha91573 kris34

    Posted

    a spinal specialist that does adjustments i having these,had xrays and nerve scan of neck and back got lots of subluxations through neck in back 8 in total that why i got a lot of pain very severe at c2 c3 hence eye pain headaches etc,i went to my doctors got a xray they said c5 c6 narrowing and to just put up with it no way so went to bodywell in kent and i feeling good only after 3 adjustments these are improving slowing will take a year for me with adjustments,deep massage tissue,neck execises etc but look up subluxtions you will see what i mean irrates the nerves in some many places hope this helps.
  • jeanette43594
    jeanette43594 kris34

    Posted

    Hi kris34 have you tried going on you tube and looking up spinal subluxations it might help you to make your mind up if you want to try a chiropractor. i felt the same way as you that my life was at a standstill i have been in constant pain since i was 10yrs old(59) now had steel rod inserted and have had constant pain ever since .but when i was younger i done everything my friends would do and more to prove to myself i could do it!! but if i had known or been offered the treatment i would have tried it.but to late cant have it but you have to try and look to your son i know it is hard but focus on not what you cant do but what you can little and often. when  thats what my consultant says!!! i was one of only four that was the first to have this operation not like it is today it was trial and error but it is who i am. please try not to get to down in the dumps sometimes it makes you feel worse.can you join a pain management clinic? have you tried swimming. as i said google spinal subluxation and you will get some ideas what to do what is best for you!!! sorry to ramble on but take care and i hope you get some reliefrolleyessmile  

    • michael_b
      michael_b jeanette43594

      Posted

      Jeanette, more precisely what do you mean by 'constant pain'? There is a well-known pain scale from 0 to 10 where 0 means no pain and 10 means you're essentially dying. How would you rate your pain on this scale? Was is constant, or if not what was the average, minimum and maximum that you experienced?
    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 michael_b

      Posted

      Hi michael_b

      I am aware of the pain scale. my pain can differ from day to day one day my pain can be 8 where some times it feels worse  and other days it can be as little as a 5. not a day goes by where i am not in pain the minimum is a 4 the average is 5/6 and the maximum is 8/9 if you live with something for a long time youadjust to that situation which i have done over the years. you say that a 10 is you"re essentially dying well some bad days feels like that!! but you have to cope other wise you can become depressed (been there) but life is to short for that now!! my pain consultant says no more injections no more medication. it is who i am i have had for so long and i am proud to say i was only 1 of 4 who had it done way back and it was basicly trial and error (not my words) of the prof.who operated! i hope this answerd your questions! any way i am sorry to ramble on and i hope this finds you as well how much pain would you say you are in on the sliding scale of 0-10?   rolleyes

    • michael_b
      michael_b jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hello Jeanette.

      I'm new to chronic pain, only half a year into it :P Worst days were a 7 I'd say, now I'm swinging between 2/3 and 5/6, which is depressing compared to the life before pain.

      Did you experience the pain you're describing from the very beginning? 50 years of pain level between 4 and 9?

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 michael_b

      Posted

      Hi michael b

      sorry to hear you are new to chronic pain. I had curverture of spine when i was 9/10  the DRs gave me a choice either have the operation or a life bent over or worse so really no contest! but to answer your question yes from the moment i woke after operation there was pain but i thought it would go away (as you do) but it did"nt. dont get me wrong even though i had pain it never stopped me from having an active childhood and adulthood. I think when you are young you cope better with it. i have been really down but as i say always some one worse off please dont get me wrong i have been that down and depressed i dont want go there again not a nice place!! it is not what you cant dobut what you can do and little and often. You have to retrain your mind about it i have always been active walking for miles and climbing trees(NOT NOW) lol and i am still learning to slow down so as you see it will take a while. used to go camping thats out of the question!!!!! so sorry to go on a bit but i hope you do not get to down about it because i know how you are feeling rolleyessmile   

    • michael_b
      michael_b jeanette43594

      Posted

      Thanks Jeanette. It helps knowing people have managed to cope and live with the pain for so long.
    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 michael_b

      Posted

      Hi michael-b just a short post to see how you are doing?  are you coping any better with  the  pain?

       it might help if try to join a pain management group  if it is possible? you will be other people with same  and different pain but it will be of some use. you should see your GPand ask him about it well take care jeanetterolleyes 

    • michael_b
      michael_b jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hello Jeanette, thanks for asking. I wouldn't say better, just coping. I'll give it some more time before joining such a group, for now the Internet is enough.

      A fine day to you too, as much as this still has a meaning for people like us.

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 michael_b

      Posted

      Hello Michael well  thats a start slow but sure because you never really get used to it you cope the best you can. Some are better than others at it i think. you do get days when you  really feel down but i hope you stay positive.and keep reading the posts!!! rolleyes   
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