[spencer515]

#28649

I was hurt at work lifting 60lbs over my head back in Feb. I had pain in both my shoulders and neck. I now have pain in my arms more in the right then the left and tingling in my first three fingers on the right arm. I had a fusion c6-c7 about ten years ago from the same job. The MRI findings. There is susceptibility artifact consistent with anterior c6-c7 fusion. There is 2 mm c4-c5 retrolisthesis . There is no acute vertebral body fracture. There is mild c2-c3,severe c3-c4,severe c4-c5 severe c5-c6, mild c7-T1 and moderate T1-T2 degenerative disc disease. There is no abnormal cord signal. c2-c3 Unremarkable. c3-c4 there is a disc osteophyte complex resulting in mild central canal stenosis and moderate left neural foraminal narrowing. c4-c5 there is a disc osteophyte complex and mild bilateral facet arthropathy resulting in mild central canal stenosis and mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing more pronounced on the left. c5-c6 there is a disc osteophyte complex and mild bilateral facet arthropathy resulting in moderate -severe right and severe left neural foraminaL narrowing. c6-c7 there is anterior fusion. c7-T1 unremarkable. I just got the report today. The work comp doctor is setting up a cervical epidural injection will this help or just help with the pain. Thank You for your time. Spencer

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#28650

Your pain is probably from the C5-6 “moderate -severe right and severe left neural foraminaL narrowing”. The nerve exit hole is made up of a clam-shell of the vertebra above and below. This means that the diameter of the exit hole changes with neck position. Overhead work causes neck extension (bending backwards) which narrows the hole even more. When you add a load to the neck (60lbs), you squash the nerves and cause nerve swelling and therefore, pain.

The cervical epidural injection should be placed at C5-6 or you should have selective nerve root blocks at C5-6 bilaterally. See https://neckandback.com/treatments/epidural-injections-and-selective-nerve-root-blocks-diagnostic-and-therapeutic-neck/ and https://neckandback.com/conditions/radiculopathy-pinched-nerve-in-neck/

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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