[thehubby53]

#7807

3 and a half months ago I was injured at work 2 accidents in the same day involving my neck. hit with a board that fell 20 feet from the air right onto the left side of my neck,head & shoulder. Next accident I was run over by a machine and thrown into a steal wall. Never had any problems with my neck before all of this started after my accidents. I have numbness,headaches & pain that starts in the back of neck all the way down to my hands.
Here is the results of my MRI in which I just got a week ago.

findings- There is loss of normal disc hydration signal throughout the cervical spine with reduced disc height at C6-C7 level.

Modic type-11 degenerative changes are noted involving the end plates at C6-C7 level

The cervical cord demonstrates normal signal
C3-C4 There is a subtle broad based less than 2.0 mm disc bulge with osteophyte causing thecal sac compression. Mild to moderate left and mild to right foraminal stenosis noted causing mild to moderate compression of the left and mild compression of right C4 exiting nerve roots. Mild hyperthrophy of facet joints noted

C4-C5 There is mild broad based bulge measuring approximately 2.2 mm with osteophyte causing thecal sac compression . Moderate left and mild to moderate right foraminal stenosis noted causing moderate compression of left and mild to moderate compression of right C5 exiting nerve roots. Hypertrophy of uninate process noted.

C5-C6 there is subtle broad base less than 2.0 mm disc bulge with osteophyle causing moderate to severe compression of C6 exiting nerve roots. Hypertrophy of uninate process noted.

C6-C7 There is mild broad based disc bulge measuring 2.5mm associated with mild right paracentral disc fragment extrusion dissecting caudally for a short distance measuring approximately 2.5 mm in anteroposterior and 2.8 mm in caudal dimensions and osteophyte causing thercal sac compression. Moderate to severe bilateral foraminal stenosis noted causing moderate ot severe compression of C7 exiting nerve roots. Hypertrophy of uninate process noted.

C7-T1 There is mild broad based dis bulge measuring aprroximately 2.3 mm with osteophyte causing sac compression. Mild bilateral stenosis noted causing mild compression of the C8 nerve roots. hyperthrophy of facet joints noted

Impression :
1) At C6-C-7 level, moderate to severe bilateral foraminal stenosis due to mild circumferential disc bulge associated with mild right paracentral disc fragment extrusion dissecting caudally osteophyte and Hypertrophy of uninate process.

2) At C5-C6 level moderate to severe bilateral disc osteophyte foraminal stenosis due to osteophyte complex

3) At C4-C5 level moderate left and mild to moderate right foraminal stenosis due to osteophyte complex

4)At C3- C4 level mild to moderate left and mild right foranimal stenosis due to osteophyte complex

5)C7-T1 level mild bilateral foranimal stenosis due to stenosis due to soteophyte complex

If you could please tell me what this means I wont see my doctor for another 4 weeks Thank You

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#7818

By the results of your MRI, you had preexisting degenerative changes in your neck. This is common and many times this degeneration can be non-symptomatic until a flying board or out of control machine decides to pummel you.

Based upon your MRI, you could have neck pain, shoulder and arm pain and weakness of your arms and hands. There are times however that some of these MRI changes might not be related to symptoms.

You need a good history and physical examination to correlate your symptoms to signs (found on the examination) and MRI findings.

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.

[thehubby53]

#7821

Thank You for answering my question about my MRI. I have seen 2 doctors one was a company doctor and the other is my own doctor. Both said it could be degenerative changes. It was my doctor who ordered the MRI. I was just wondering if any of these things happening could be a result from my accidents.

Thank You once again

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#7822

This is the common conundrum of “causation”. Most of the time, there are pre-existing but asymptomatic (non painful) degenerative changes in the spine. If not for the accident, these degenerative changes would not cause symptoms.The accident will aggravate these pre-existing changes and cause the onset of new symptoms.

From the insurance companies point of view, they do not know if you did have preexisting symptoms and are now blaming them for preexisting symptoms.

Unless there was a preexisting set of x-rays or MRI, the was to determine what was present and what is new is from a detailed history and physical examination.

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.

[thehubby53]

#7823

They took an xray after the accident other then that there is nothing else showing that any of this was pre-existing. I never had a problem with anything until this happen. The last time I saw an actual doctor to be treated for anything was back in 03 and that was due to the fact that I cut off the top part of my finger. I just had a physical back in March of 2012 for a certain licence I needed for my job. There was nothing unusual with that except some hearing loss in my one ear but other then that nothing.

Thank you for all your help

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#7832

Degenerative changes are ubiquitous. You are surrounded by non-symptomatic individuals that are now walking around with these degenerative changes. You have to understand that these changes are generally inevitable for all of us. Many times, the onset of symptoms occurs from an injury to these degenerative sites, much like the “weak link in the chain”. That is, if these degenerative changes were not present, the injury force might not cause injury and pain.

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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