I have chronic postural abnormality
servical disc desiccation from c2 through c6
c3-4 there is a small central hnp with mild impression upon the anterior subarachnoid space, the neural foramina appear patent
c4-5 there is a small left paracentral hnp with impression upon the anterior subarachnoid space, there is mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing contributed by uncinate and facet hypertrophy
c5-6 there is a small central hnp with impression upon the anterior subarachnoid space, there is moderate narrowing of the left neural foramen and mild narrowing of the right neural foramencontributed by uncinate and facet hypertrophy does anybody know how to read this and what it means
Unusual MRI... you have herniated disks (HNP's) at three levels, but at all three the radiologist considers the herniation to be "small". The nuclear material from the disks is pressing backward into the front ("anterior") of the spinal canal ("subarachnoid space"). Using the term "subarachnoid space" implies, though, that the herniations are not yet affecting the spinal cord itself.
The neural foramina are the openings in the front/side of the spine through which the peripheral nerves pass after leaving the cord on their way to your shoulders and arms. At C3-4 (the disk level between the C3 and C4 vertebrae), he says these openings (foramina) are "patent" (clear). At C4-5, he says there is "mild" (not anything to worry about) narrowing due to bone spurs (hypertrophy) on the facet joints (sides of the spine) and uncinate process (top rim of the C5 vertebrae). Same thing at C5-6, except that on the left side it's one degree worse ("moderate").
All in all, not a terribly distressing MRI as it stands now. I have to wonder, though, how long those herniations will stay "small". Since the tough outer shell of the disks has broken open, what's to stop the rest of the nuclear material from spilling out? Can I assume that your "chronic postural abnormality" is cervical kyphosis, that is your neck bends forward rather than backward? If so, that would create chronic pressure on the disks and could lead to herniations. Something to ask the doc...
I was haven strange pain in my neck it never went away, then it went into the left shoulder down my arm to my fingers the pain, from my elbow up i had numbness, he sent me to a chiropractor i went for 2 months i stoped going because i still got the same pain but now its slowly getting worst, i went to theropy for a short time and that did not help at all
I'm sorry about all that. I can interpret the MRI, but I'm afraid there's not much else I can tell you. I assume you are going to follow up on the MRI, with an orthopedist, physiatrist or neurologist?
