Donald Corenman, MD, DC
Moderator
Post count: 8656

You have significant narrowing in the canal in your neck “C6-7- There is a central/right paracentral broad-based disc protrusion which effaces the ventral thecal sac and results in moderately-severe canal stenosis”. The MRI noting disc degeneration but the X-ray being normal is typical. X-rays do not reveal early degenerative changes.

This condition (stenosis) can cause myelopathy (dysfunction of the spinal cord) which can cause imbalance. See the section regarding myelopathy on the website to see if your symptoms match. Your complaints of “why am I so off balance? I also have lighthing like sensations and my arm goes numb on my left side. I have numbness and tingling in both hands. sometimes, my right hand toward the pinky up to where my wrist begins will go completely numb” do coincide with myelopathy. You do have to be careful as fibromyalgia has some matching symptoms.

A thorough physical examination would help to differential those two conditions.

There is nothing in your lower back MRI which would cause “heaviness in my legs, as well as a deep pain from the top of my legs all the way down to my feet, making it feel as if I am carrying concrete pillars. walking for long stretches”. Those symptoms could be from your fibromyalgia.

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.