Dr. Corenman,
It means a lot you took the time to respond and expound as well.
The prior MRI 4 years ago revealed and as the radiologist dictated mild cervical stenosis of 9mm, C5-6 disc herniation abutting spinal cord.
( terminology can make a difference )not sure what abutting means, but the disc was contacting cord at that point, ( my eyes see it resting on cord, no CSF can be seen at that one area, but cord had no indention at that time.
Fast forward………..progressing symptoms………new recent Cervical MRI and that same C5-6 abuttment, has now indented the cord, not drastic, but very evident, in addition as said the PLL ( I believe has 2 levels of bucking, this is lateral and opposite of the DISC side, so hope that is the PLL, there IS still adequate CSF seen in that area, unlike the Disc protrusion that is indenting the cord, but the combination of the 2 decrease the space of CSF as a whole and contribute to the stenosis.
However, the radiologist that read this most recent MRI dictated it as ” unremarkable Cervical MRI ”
The diagnosis the rad saw to read was gait abnormality, and to rule out cord compression.
The reason it was ordered was the Doctors findings of positive Rhomberg, hyperflexia,granted no positive babinski, or hoffmans sign, but my father has obvious cord compression on both sides ( disc and Ligamentum flavum ) maybe I made error in anatomy and terminology, be he has a very ugly MRI with increased signal in his cord yet his hoffman and babinski is normal as well. He also does not have the disequilibrium problem I have and he is 79!
Here is my problem…. standing static as said ..for more then 10 seconds I am rocking and swaying, griping toes and feet to ground to keep upright, it is the most horrific feeling……..taking shower, terrible, scary, I have to hold wall with one hand, but when i have to wash and rinse hair I need both arms, which makes me raise them and then my spine and legs stiffen, I must grip feet and legs so hard to keep upright….anything I do that I have to stand still, raise arms, makes me 70% worse……….walking in dim light or darkness…….forget it!
When I walk ….from point A to B, as long as I am walking and staying in motion it is not as bad, but it seems as if my legs at times during this walking kinda quickly give way, briefly, almost like my hip malfunctioned …also I do not walk with wide gait, but I think because of my hips and sacro I take shorter smaller steps ( side note, for some reason I have neuropathy in both feet, ( I also have bilat carpal tunnel tested through EMG ) my feet have not been tested and the issue seems be more on outside of ankles, not inside and just touching the skin sends millions of little shocks that spread like fingers down the top of foot to toes…also absent ankle reflexes….but I have not had an EMG of ankles and feet, but I know its neuropathy, my wrists have same thing happen even if I lightly scrath both insides of wrists…
I wish I could have you look at the actual films…….would you have read the cervical MRI as ” unremarkable ” That is the wording, that is it.