In Reply to: cervical disc prolapse posted by jack on December 21, 2000 at 14:26:02:
Hi Jack, wow!! Quite a list of questions you've got there. I have a few for you though too.
What are your symptoms? Besides the back pain, do you have numbness, tingling, pain in your arms?
Have you tried physical therapy, epidural injections,IDET, massage therapy, accupuncture, antiflammatories, muscle relaxers?
Has anyone recommended surgery? Your back pain has been going on for 3mos. you said, I would guess that it is way too soon to be considering surgury. Unless you have exhausted every "conservative" treatement, I would not be thinking about surgery. Who knows, mayber in a year from now you will need surgery. You might need to have a disectomy, or a fusion. But if if were me, I would, and had, tried every thing humanly (that was safe) possible before having my surgery done.
An MRI means nothing unless you have the symptoms. Anyone can have a herniated or ruptured disc, but not every one will have symptoms. (for some unknown Godly reason that is a mystery to me)
The other question I have for you is, who told you that because of C5-C6 you could have to do deal with impotence? Cervical discs (C discs) usually affect your neck, shoulder, and arms. Your Thoratic (T disc) usually affect your middle back, and your Lumbar (L disc) affect your legs, and in extreme case your bladder, bowels etc
So I'm a little confused.
Well Jack, I wish you the best, and I hope some one can answer your questions better than me.
Be Well
Maria