Neck pain can be generated by facets, discs and nerve compression. Arm pain generally is caused by nerve root compression (with many other less common but possible disorders). Imbalance and incoordination can be caused by cord compression (among other disorders).”Extremity tingling/numbness” can be caused by cord compression as well as nerve root compression. You have all of these symptoms and I would call them impairing as you have stopped all your sports except for maybe one time a week and you “pay for it” after this activity. I would say you could be a surgical candidate if the disorder(s) is correctly diagnosed.
You do have CNS (crappy neck syndrome) as you have multiple levels of degeneration. If your central canal measures 7mm at C4-5, you could have symptoms of myelopathy from this level. See the section on cervical myelopathy on the website. The other levels are also narrowed (“C5-6: Moderate posterior disc osteophyte complex effaces the ventral thecal sac and displaces the cervical cord. Moderate to severe spinal canal narrowing”) and (“C6-7: Moderate posterior disc osteophyte complex effaces the ventral thecal sac and displaces the cervical cord. Moderate spinal canal narrowing”).
Is there a rush to surgery. Probably not. The question is how progressive the symptoms are, how severe the symptoms are now and what activities you participate in that could put your cord in jeopardy? You have significant narrowing of the canal. If you had a fall onto your face causing the neck to “jerk” backwards, this could pinch the cord and cause a central cord syndrome. See this section on the website too. If you don’t participate in activities that could cause this motion, the need for surgery is lessened.
Surgery is performed for three measures; to provide pain relief for degenerative discs, facets or instability, to decompress nerves that are causing arm pain or weakness or to protect the spinal cord. It sounds like you have at least two of the three. Don’t rush-but look into surgery to see what the specialists have to say.
Dr. Corenman
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.