<< There is a small right paramedian focal disc protrusion at the C6/7 level however no cord or nerve root compression is confirmed. >>
If that's what the radiologist wrote in his impressions, then he doesn't think there's any reason for concern in the MRI. Also, the disk protrusion is on the right, and your symptoms on the left.
Does the left-hand tingling affect particular fingers, and does the left-arm weakness affect particular muscles?
If the protrusion really is "small", as he says, I doubt that you could have surgery even if you wanted it.
The index finger effect - if it were caused by a pinched nerve - would be caused by C6 (the C5-6 level), which you don't even mention from the report.
As for the "floppiness", it would be helpful if you could ascertain a loss of strength in one or more muscles of the shoulder/arm. This may help:
""
C5 also supplies the shoulder muscles and the muscle that we use to bend our elbow
C6 is for bending the wrist back
C7 is for straightening the elbow""
Several possibilities:
1. You got a lousy radiologist's report on your MRI. That seems to happen all too often. Still, to not even mention the most likely problem level, when he specifically mentions a minor abnormality at another level, would be very strange.
2. Your C6 is pinched, but not in your spine. The elbow is the most likely culprit.
3. Something else
If you can take this as far as a neurosurgeon, you may as well. He may disagree with the report. He may have suggestions about alternatives.
Im going to write out the full report for you it might help in your opinion..
Im not really looking at surgery.. Id like to know regarding it the following:
1. What could have caused this? Bad posture? Weight lifting?
2. Can the protrusion get worse and lead to pinching of the nerves?
3. How can I make it better without surgery, if possible?
Here is the full report:
Clinical History: Patient with a history of paraesthesia down the left hand and intermittent left-sided weakness. Possible whiplash injury a week ago, nerve root compression at C5/6/7? Brachial plexus injury. No motor weakness? Vascular intracranial pathology.
MRI OF CERVICAL SPINE:
Technique: Sagittal 61,T2 AND STIR. AXIAL T2.
Findings:
Normal craniocervical junction. The cervical vertebra are normally aligned. The cervical cord has a normal apperance. No epidural haematoma is evident.
C2/3 and C3/4: No focal disc protrusion or nerve root compression
C4/5 and C5/6: No focal disc protrusion or never root compression
C6/7 level: There is a small central and right paramedian disc protrursion which extends posterior to the right C6 vertebreal body. There is however no cord compression or spinal stenosis and no specific foraminal or neural compression is evident.
C7/T1: No focal disc protrusion or nerve root compression.
COMMENT:
There is a small right paramedian focal disc protrusion at the C6/7 level however no cord or nerve root compression is confirmed.
To my amateur's eyes, that report really looks benign. In fact, if I had to guess your age based just on the report, I'd say you're in your 30's. People over 40 would likely have more things wrong. If you want to read a bad one (mine), you can find the My Pre-Laminoplasty MRI thread.
What caused the disk protrusion? If you're over 40, I'd say that age caused it. Under 40, maybe putting too much pressure on a bent neck (some kind of exercise or yoga).
As for what to do about your symptoms, that would really depend on where the problem is. If you keep having the hand/arm symptoms, you could try a nerve conduction study to see where the nerve is being affected.
I wasnt expecting a bad report I was checking to see if their was a reason I had tingling in my left arm and numbness aswell as left foot and in addition if their was anything else they picked up.
Im 26 years old.
Pressure as in lifting weights at gym and sitting badly at computer?
I see...would you think it was lifting weights incorrectly?
Must I ask the neurologist to conduct a nerve test to see?
I took phedra cut (similar to hydroxycut in the U.S) and I mixed it with corenza C ( for flu) and its where this whole thing started...Do u think the interaction of the 2 maybe attacked my nerves? If so, would a nerve conductor test be able to pick it up?
Your questions are pretty much out of my league. Weightlifting is much more likely to injure the lower back than the upper, but anything can happen, and I don't know exactly what you were doing. As for the nerve conduction study, I don't know how things work in SA, so I can't say. In the U.S. it would vary between insurance plans, but if you're willing to pay out of pocket (a lot) you could get anything.
