Ask:
What does all this mean? Is it caused by the car accident?
I am 44 years old and have osteoporosis, I found this out 2 years ago (Jan.2005) when I fell down a set of icy steps and ended up with a compression/bi-lateral oblique fracture at T-10. After a year on Actonel and pain killers I was doing much better, getting back to "my oldself". Then in April of last year (2006) I was stopped at a red light, looking to my right. Seat belt on. I was driving a smaller car and was rear-ended by an SUV. Although it was considered "low impact" the hit was enough to pop the seal on my trunk, and place a crease across the bumper. By 2 am the next morning I was in an emergency room. I have been told that I had "whiplash" and minor retirolosthesis @ C5. I have suffered extreme pain in my neck and back, left shoulder and my left ankel which swells constantly. Tingling/numbness and spasmodic paralisis of my fingers and toes with the tingling and numbness running up my arms. I recently went for an MRI and the results were:
There is a straightening/reversal of the normal cervical lordosis.
C-1 through C-4/5 are essentially unremarkable in appearance with minimal posterior central disc/osteophyte complexes at C-3/4 and 4/5.
At C-5/6 there is an at least moderate sized broad based posterior central and bilateral paracentral disc/osteophyte complex resulting in moderate to marked encroachment on the anterior central CSF space and moderate encroachment on the lateral recesses. This extends to continguous with the anterior surface of the cervical spinal cord without definite direct impression upon it.
At C-6/7 there is an at least moderate size posterior left disc/osteophyte complex resuling in moderate encroachment on the left lateral recess.
The cervical spinal cord is normal in for without evidence of focal cord edema/myelomalacia.
Impression.. Degenerative changes..
The thoracic spine was assessed and..
There is at least mild to moderate posterior disc bulging at T-4/5, 5/6, 6/7, 7/8, 8/9, 9/10 and 10/11. Slightly more prominent at the latter. There is mild to moderate wedging of T-10. Minimal wedging of T-5, 6, 7 and 8.
Impression...Disc bulging at multiple levels throughout the thoracic spine of uncertain clinical significance without definite direct encroachment on the cord. Wedge compression fractures of thoracici vertebral bodies as described.
HELPPPP, WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?? Is it all caused by the osteoporosis or is some of it from the car accident?
Answer:
What does all this mean? Is it caused by the car accident?
Vertebral compression fractures can be caused by osteoporosis and trauma, or the combination of the two. However, considering the mechanism of your injury it seems at unlikely that thoracic vertebral compression fractures would result from such forces. However, I emphasize that you will have to present this question to your own doctor - I cannot make a diagnosis over the Internet.
The good news is that your spinal cord is reported intact in the MRI.
Whiplash injury is a very complicated matter and often there are no definitive findings on MRI, despite the marked symptoms.
Are you being followed up by your doctor for this?