Bulging discs

[makaveli25]

I just had an mri last week i have been getting numbness in both arms during sleep. It's been a rough few months it's really flarred up. Now during the day I get tingling going up my left trap and up my neck.

I talked to the doctor yesterday on the phone she said my cervical spine vertebrates all have some bulging but c6-c7 look the worst. She also said I have some little cysts around some of my nerves. She said nothing to be to worried about. She said physical therapy and medication will be what she recommends.

A lot of guys on here probably deal with the same problem. Any advice, good exercises to do. I'm in a lot of pain. The appointment before they gave me big bottles of naproxen ibuprofen muscle relaxers and some anti inflammatory steroids.

 

[gotgame]

post up the impression from your MRI report.

dont worry about the nerve root cysts, often just incidental.

 

[Bio]

What kind of doctor are you dealing with?

 

[MooseKnuckles]

Mine is in a different area but my L4L5 was herniated I got an injection a few weeks ago right in vertebrae and so far the nerve pain has decreased considerably, I know it's not fixed but I thought I would try an injection before surgery.

I would take your MRI and get a second opinion.

 

[buck]

I find orthopedic sports medicine specialist the best way to go.

 

[wargam19700]

Lifetime of physical therapy to strengthen surrounding muscles. Injections, nerve blocks, or shrinking of the nerves to help with pain. Pain meds as are an option if it gets too bad. Go to a pain mgmt doc.. Surgery rarely helps and will only be used as last resort.

 

[Skinny01]

Im surprised no one had suggested a chiropractor, find a good well renown one with good reviews and he will be able to help you.

 

[makaveli25]

I go to a chiropractor every two weeks for a deep tissue massage and adjustment. I need to learn some good exercises to strengthen my neck.


C2-C3: Small central posterior disc osteophyte with mild narrowing of the anterior CSF space. No cord compression or signal abnormality. No significant neuroforaminal narrowing or facet arthropathy.

C3-C4: Left paramedian/foraminal posterior disc osteophyte complex which narrows the anterior CSF space and impresses upon and mildly flattens the left cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. Disc osteophyte along with left uncovertebral joint
hypertrophy results in severe left-sided neuroforaminal narrowing. Mild right neuroforaminal narrowing secondary to uncovertebral joint hypertrophy.

C4-C5: Right paramedian posterior disc osteophyte complex with narrowing of the anterior CSF space and slight impression upon the ventral cord. There is no associated cord signal abnormality. Bilateral uncovertebral and facet joint hypertrophy results in
moderate right and mild left-sided neuroforaminal narrowing.

C5-C6: Right paramedian posterior disc osteophyte complex which effaces the anterior CSF space and impresses upon the right ventral cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. No significant neuroforaminal narrowing. There is a 5 mm perineural cyst seen
within the left neuroforamen.

C6-C7: Large right paramedian/foraminal posterior disc osteophyte complex which effaces the anterior CSF space and impresses upon the ventral aspect of the cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. Uncovertebral joint hypertrophy with mild right and
moderate left-sided neural foramen narrowing. 3 mm perineural cyst within the distal right neural foramen. Facets are unremarkable

C7-T1: Unremarkable intervertebral disc. No spinal canal narrowing or cord signal abnormality. No neuroforaminal narrowing. The facets are unremarkable. Bilateral Tarlov perineural cysts in the distal neuroforamina.

 

[gotgame]

I go to a chiropractor every two weeks for a deep tissue massage and adjustment. I need to learn some good exercises to strengthen my neck.


C2-C3: Small central posterior disc osteophyte with mild narrowing of the anterior CSF space. No cord compression or signal abnormality. No significant neuroforaminal narrowing or facet arthropathy.

C3-C4: Left paramedian/foraminal posterior disc osteophyte complex which narrows the anterior CSF space and impresses upon and mildly flattens the left cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. Disc osteophyte along with left uncovertebral joint
hypertrophy results in severe left-sided neuroforaminal narrowing. Mild right neuroforaminal narrowing secondary to uncovertebral joint hypertrophy.

C4-C5: Right paramedian posterior disc osteophyte complex with narrowing of the anterior CSF space and slight impression upon the ventral cord. There is no associated cord signal abnormality. Bilateral uncovertebral and facet joint hypertrophy results in
moderate right and mild left-sided neuroforaminal narrowing.

C5-C6: Right paramedian posterior disc osteophyte complex which effaces the anterior CSF space and impresses upon the right ventral cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. No significant neuroforaminal narrowing. There is a 5 mm perineural cyst seen
within the left neuroforamen.

C6-C7: Large right paramedian/foraminal posterior disc osteophyte complex which effaces the anterior CSF space and impresses upon the ventral aspect of the cord. There is no cord signal abnormality. Uncovertebral joint hypertrophy with mild right and
moderate left-sided neural foramen narrowing. 3 mm perineural cyst within the distal right neural foramen. Facets are unremarkable

C7-T1: Unremarkable intervertebral disc. No spinal canal narrowing or cord signal abnormality. No neuroforaminal narrowing. The facets are unremarkable. Bilateral Tarlov perineural cysts in the distal neuroforamina.

your doctor has no idea what she is looking at lol. She probably just saw a sagital t2 mri and could only see c6-c7 lol

You have bad left c3/4. its from osteophyte an hypertrophy not just a disc so its not gonna go away from disc dessication or just symptoms from an annular tear.

c4-c5 on the right. Its moderate from hypertrophy. it may be ligamentous so bringing the local inflammation down may help.


c6-c7: moderate left NOT from the disc but from hypertrophy. your doctor apparently can only see the disc protruding back but you dont have any cord signal change and theres space behind the cord so the disc at that level isnt whats causing your symptoms.


what id do is take the aleve and maybe even some prednisone for a bit to knock down some local inflammation resutling in the hypertrophy. and then yes some mild rehab may work but dont go too crazy or expect amazing results. You have osteophytes causing the narrowing that arent gonna go away but some of your other symtpoms may improve.

do not go to a chiro. you have severe narrowing. could be dangerous.

 

[JeanClaude]

I got the same problem. C6/C7. Pain in trap down shoulder and numbness in tricep and fingers.

I tried chiro, massage, no gym for 6 weeks. None of that helped.

Only thing that helps is physio with acupuncture and using a lacrosse ball on my trap and neck against a wall.


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[massmonster32]

Ask your doctor about Gabapentine 100mg 3x a day for the nerve pain. Sure I spelled it wrong but maybe it will work for you. MM

 

[MisterB]

the injections can help but in my opinion as a 28 year back / neck sufferer C4-C5 fusion t4, t10 healed fracture, l5-s1 no disc , bone on bone

i find a week on prednisone (medrol pack) works better and no puncture wounds, ,then its about avoiding the things that irritate it

 

[sub7percent]

I have a similar condition in my lower back. Right now just received an epidural a few days ago to reduce inflammation and doing ART a few times per week.


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[JeanClaude]

Ask your doctor about Gabapentine 100mg 3x a day for the nerve pain. Sure I spelled it wrong but maybe it will work for you. MM

Ya for op, gabapentin is good for minimizing the pain and helping u to function but makes u drowsy as fak and tired all the time. Kinda like zma after effects or high dose igf/GH.

It does work tho just be aware of those side effects


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[ripped103]

I would take that MRI to a neurosurgeon and see what they say cause the doctor you have is clueless.id also ask for an EMG ,it's a nerve ending test and it will show how bad the nerve damage is.The louder the
machine =very bad damage
At this point I would not advise surgery

 

[Paranoid Fitness]

OP. When you do squats is the bar resting completely on your traps or is it resting partially on your c-spine?

I ask because a friend is going through a similar situation right now and he and his physicians determined much of it was from the bar hitting or resting on the c-spine.

I am not a doctor but I think you're looking at surgery. Either fusion or disk trimming...only a guess.

I've fortunately not had neck issues. Low back is my problem.
Fused L5/S1 in '03 and later this year will see L4/L5 fusion...

 

[chinaboy]

A little antiinflammatory and physical therapy is where to start. Don't listen to anyone telling you to go straight to a surgeon. I watch people get better all day long while avoiding surgery for this stuff. Anyone of those discs could be causin the nerve irritation so the idea is to reduce inflammation while increasing your body's natural way to protect itself; physical therapy.

 

[simon birch]

Mine is in a different area but my L4L5 was herniated I got an injection a few weeks ago right in vertebrae and so far the nerve pain has decreased considerably, I know it's not fixed but I thought I would try an injection before surgery.

I would take your MRI and get a second opinion.

I've had 3 shots in my L4L5, L5S1 over the last 2 years and they work great as long as you do the stretching and rehab. Focus a lot on core workouts. I do them everyday along with regular training. A strong core is going to be the key to kepping those disc from bulging. Make sure it's a spine dr too.

 

[boxer cam]

I've been in max dosage of gabapentin once before, was also on tramadol and celebrex at the time. The gabapentin didn't help my back at all, none of them did. Had to stop driving while on it, felt like everything was coming faster than I was traveling and slow to react. Had to come off because I like to go fast. Done 190km/h on dirt, next rally car will be built for 200km/h plus.

 

[11sh11]

I completely agree with Makaveli25. As a sports therapist, with a specialty in injury rehab, the tingling and numbness can be relieved through chiropractic and deep tissue massage or ART. bulging isnt a doomsday report, and signifies uneven compression on the disc material between the vertebrae. Relieving the tension and compression will relieve the discs. Loosening the muscle-bound areas will improve the nerve entrapment that causes the numbness.
For self-care, streching your pecs, front delts, and all around your neck is essential.