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After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
I'm a 33 yr old male. I had surgery April of last year. I had a follow up appt. with my neurosurgeon about three weeks ago and told him that my arms were tingling. I did not tell him that my left leg was really hurting and when I sit down, it tingles. When I get up I can't put pressure on it for a few minutes. If I stay on it and walk at work, it really get painful. I thought I might have hurt it some how. After four week of dealing with this, I went to the after hours clinic at my family doctor's office. The doctor was concerned with my history (neck surgery) and requested a MRI of my back.
Could there be a connection? The neruosurgeon figured that the arm tingling was possibly nerve damage from the disc that was in my spinal cord. I have never been in an accident. After surgery of this type, could it trigger more disc issues? I am going for a second opinion on Monday with the VA. I stil have a lot of trouble with my neck a times getting stiff or when I wake up, I can't get out of bed for a while because of jolts of pain going through my neck. They are not real strong, maybe a little more than putting you tongue to a 9 volt battery. I am not sure what is normal after a surgery or when to be concerned. What do you think? :confused:
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After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
I noticed that no one has replied to my post but I have had a lot of views. This must be a tough one. I haven't made it to the Dr. yet. Today I am having a lot of tingling in the left arm arm and leg. Seems that they are going to sleep. I am at work now, so I will go. Thanks for the views any ideas or post would be helpful as well.:confused:
Answer:
After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
I'm happy that an MRI was ordered. That will tell us more than a 1000 words as they say - let us know what the report says
Answer:
After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
I received my MRI report today and this is what it read:
c3 - c4 No herniation or stenosis
c4 - c5 Small bulging disc with no stenosis identified
c5 - c6 Previous surgery with some artifact from hardware. The neuroforamina apprear patent.
c6 - c7 There is a small central disc protursion at theis level mildly effacing the thecal sac. There may be slight flattening to the anterior aspect of the cord but the Neuroforamina apprear patent.
c7 - T1 No herniation or Stenosis
I go see the VA neruosurgeon tomorrow. Could the problem at the c6 - c7 be causing the arms to tingle and possibly the left leg? Thanks
Answer:
After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
This is definitely a case for your neurosurgeon and not for us over the Internet. Marginal MRI findings and their relation to symptoms need to be evaluated first hand, the surgeon needs to see the MRI with his own eyes and examine you physically. Let us know what your neurosurgeon says!
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After Cervical disk surgery (C-5 - C-6)
I've had cervical pain for over a 1 1/2 yrs below are the results of my 2 MRI's one is from Dec 05 and the other Jan 07. If you can tell me what you think in your own personal opinion that would help me. I am going to get a second opinion because my dr. just keeps giving me pills and I'm getting no better. I have had pain everyday since Oct 2005. There are times I can't lift my head off my shoulder, constant stiff neck and tingling and burning in arms and hands. I am starting to really get depressed now, I can't go out and sit in the same spot for over a hour without getting bad pains in my neck. Any help would be great.
12/05 At C4/5 There is a spondylotic disc bulge. There is bilateral facet hypertrophy and narrowing of the central canal. There is some encroachment of the bilateral neural foramina.
1/07 At C4-5, there is a disc ridge complex. This narrows the central canal as was noted on the prior study of 12/24/05. There is associated bilateral facet hypertrophy. Overall the degree of stenosis is not significantly changed since the prior study.
12/05 At C5/6 there is a central to left paracentral disc osteophyte complex. There is some narrowing of the central canal.
1/07 At C5-6, a moderate size central disc osteophyte complex is noted. It once again narrows the central canal. There is associated mild bilateral facet hypertrophy. The findings appear to have mildly progressed since the prior study of 12/24/05.
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12/05 Unremarkable
1/07 At C6-7, there is a new moderate size left paracentral to lateral disc protrusion. There is"ef£acement" of the ventral subarachnoid space and extrusion of the disc inferiorly behind the C7 vertebral body. There is encroachment of the left proximal neural foramen at this level.
12/05 At C7/T1 there is some mild degenerative disc disease in the thoracic spine.
1/07 At the C7-T1 level, no significant disc bulge or herniation is seen. There is some evidence of degenerative disc disease within the thoracic spine.
12/05 IMPRESSION: There is degenerative disc disease with associated stenosis in the cervical spine. It is most pronounced at the C4/5 and C5/6 level.
1/07 IMPRESSION: There’s progression of findings since the prior study from 12/24/05. In particular there’s a new moderate size left paracentral to lateral disc protrusion at the C6/7 level which effaces the ventral subarachnoid space and abuts the ventral cervical cord. There is mild encroachment of the proximal left neural foramen at this level as well as an extrusion of disc behind the C7 vertebral body