NaeNae
05-21-2005, 06:08 AM
I got some copies of my last few appointments at my Orthopedic Surgeon. I figured it might be good to get copies of my last few appointments at any Doctor I see outside of my Family Practice, just in case I need to update my PCP at any time, or if I'm out of town, I'll have it all in place. Anyway, that's besides the point!
My question is, I'm not too familiar with medical jargon and I'm trying to figure this out and see if anyone can help me. It mainly has to do with my
X-Ray results. Partially because I can't seem to get a straight answer from my doctor, it always seems to be changing (he's older, so I think he confuses me with someone else, but he really is a nice guy). I also had another story from my PCP when I first started seeing him for the back pain, and I saw a horrible PM Doc for a while, too, that had yet, a third story.
I know I should be more knowledgable with this, but I've already got a million things on my mind. I know you count up (or down) the spine, each plate has a number. I know "L" is Lumbar, right? Basically lower back? I know "T" is Thorasic, but don't remember what part of the back that is. The rest is just foreign to me.
So this is what I need explaining:
What is HNP? It says -x- (which will be my name now) was seen for HNP's at C5-C6 and C6-C7.
What is 'Facet Arthrosis'? It suggested my lower back pain might be related to that. All I know if my lower back pain started after I had my first son and they tried a million times to get my epidural in and it never worked, but my lower back's been weak ever since. Of course it got worse after my fall (which is why I'm here in the first place! Plus, I've always had a weak lumbar area, had back labor with my kids, and it just got worse lugging them around.
Says: "X-Rays were taken today including an AP and later and lateral for lumbar spine and the films look fine. Which, of course, I'm thinking "FINE"? HUH?
Diagnosis: 1) HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7. (722.0)
2) Low back pain (724.2).
So on that appointment alone, my questions are what is HNP? What are these numbers like 724.2?
Second appointment, states a very similiar report, with HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7, plus low back pain. It of course goes on to state I'm still have persistant pain in my neck and lower back, but my neck is bothering me more. That is half true. It's all up and down my spine from my neck to my lumbar area, but if I picked one area to fix, it would be my lower back. Then again, the same old foriegn language: HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7 (again), (722.0) and low back pain (724.2).
The numbers and some abbreviations are what's confusing me. And I know there is alot of people on this board in serious, chronic pain, but is mine that big of a deal? He's already talking about surgery starting at the neck. I'm not wanting to do that just yet.
Thanks to anyone that can help!
P.S. Sorry if there is also some typos. It's 4am and I'm soooo tired!
My question is, I'm not too familiar with medical jargon and I'm trying to figure this out and see if anyone can help me. It mainly has to do with my
X-Ray results. Partially because I can't seem to get a straight answer from my doctor, it always seems to be changing (he's older, so I think he confuses me with someone else, but he really is a nice guy). I also had another story from my PCP when I first started seeing him for the back pain, and I saw a horrible PM Doc for a while, too, that had yet, a third story.
I know I should be more knowledgable with this, but I've already got a million things on my mind. I know you count up (or down) the spine, each plate has a number. I know "L" is Lumbar, right? Basically lower back? I know "T" is Thorasic, but don't remember what part of the back that is. The rest is just foreign to me.
So this is what I need explaining:
What is HNP? It says -x- (which will be my name now) was seen for HNP's at C5-C6 and C6-C7.
What is 'Facet Arthrosis'? It suggested my lower back pain might be related to that. All I know if my lower back pain started after I had my first son and they tried a million times to get my epidural in and it never worked, but my lower back's been weak ever since. Of course it got worse after my fall (which is why I'm here in the first place! Plus, I've always had a weak lumbar area, had back labor with my kids, and it just got worse lugging them around.
Says: "X-Rays were taken today including an AP and later and lateral for lumbar spine and the films look fine. Which, of course, I'm thinking "FINE"? HUH?
Diagnosis: 1) HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7. (722.0)
2) Low back pain (724.2).
So on that appointment alone, my questions are what is HNP? What are these numbers like 724.2?
Second appointment, states a very similiar report, with HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7, plus low back pain. It of course goes on to state I'm still have persistant pain in my neck and lower back, but my neck is bothering me more. That is half true. It's all up and down my spine from my neck to my lumbar area, but if I picked one area to fix, it would be my lower back. Then again, the same old foriegn language: HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7 (again), (722.0) and low back pain (724.2).
The numbers and some abbreviations are what's confusing me. And I know there is alot of people on this board in serious, chronic pain, but is mine that big of a deal? He's already talking about surgery starting at the neck. I'm not wanting to do that just yet.
Thanks to anyone that can help!
P.S. Sorry if there is also some typos. It's 4am and I'm soooo tired!
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Shoreline
05-21-2005, 10:06 AM
The numbers are diagnostic billing codes for your insurance, don't worry about them,
HERNIATED NUCLEUS PULPOSUS (HNP) - Extrusion of the central portion of an intervertebral disc through the outer cartilaginous ring. The material can compress the spinal cord or nerves ...
The thoracic spine is in between the cervicle ''Neck" and lumbar "low back above sacrum". You have 12 thoracic veratabrea all with ribs attached, That's what makes surgery at this level more difficult.
THORACIC - The chest level region of the spine that is located between the cervical and lumbar vertebrae. It consists of 12 vertebrae which serve as attachment points for ribs.The attachment point is cartlidge, not solid bone.
Facet arthrosis is arthritic facet joints that may narrow and may compress nerves or develop spurs. But Xrays aren't conclusive to DX a problem nor are they conclusive to DX a HNP, you need a mri or CT to determine extent of facet problem and the HNP. The Xrays warent a trip to he surgeon
These must be Xrays your reading about because an MRI would tell you what direction the bulge or extrusion is taking, and doesn't mentyion any nerve compression which an Xray doesn't show.The DX may simply be an interpretation of a narrowed disc which may simply be part of the aging process or DDD.
YThe findings were
HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7 but doesn't mention your lumbar spine "low back"
HERNIATED NUCLEUS PULPOSUS (HNP) - Extrusion of the central portion of an intervertebral disc through the outer cartilaginous ring. The material can compress the spinal cord or nerves ...
The thoracic spine is in between the cervicle ''Neck" and lumbar "low back above sacrum". You have 12 thoracic veratabrea all with ribs attached, That's what makes surgery at this level more difficult.
THORACIC - The chest level region of the spine that is located between the cervical and lumbar vertebrae. It consists of 12 vertebrae which serve as attachment points for ribs.The attachment point is cartlidge, not solid bone.
Facet arthrosis is arthritic facet joints that may narrow and may compress nerves or develop spurs. But Xrays aren't conclusive to DX a problem nor are they conclusive to DX a HNP, you need a mri or CT to determine extent of facet problem and the HNP. The Xrays warent a trip to he surgeon
These must be Xrays your reading about because an MRI would tell you what direction the bulge or extrusion is taking, and doesn't mentyion any nerve compression which an Xray doesn't show.The DX may simply be an interpretation of a narrowed disc which may simply be part of the aging process or DDD.
YThe findings were
HNP at C5-C6 and C6-C7 but doesn't mention your lumbar spine "low back"