Back Pain Forum - Back Pain Question

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What structures make up the spine? We review basic spine anatomy here...before identifying potential causes of back pain....

Q: Back Pain Question

asked by: DoctorQuestion on March 8th, 2006

For over a month the right side of my head and arm have been going numb. Then when th numbness subsided, it was this awful pressure under my eye. I have also felt this crackling noise in the back of my head followed by a warm sensation going up my head. I have been to the emergency room several times and had a catscan done. They couldn't find anything wrong. I finally had an mri done on monday and it said at the c4-5 there is disc protrusion with questionable bony degenerative change with mild rightsided foraminal encroachment. at c6-7 broad disc bulge and degenerative end plate to the left of the midline with left sided foraminal encroachment. My doctor told me that It boils down to advanced arthriis in my spine. How can they come to the conclusion of arthritis and what in the world can I do to relieve the pressure and the pain. Thank you for your time. Jenny

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on March 21st, 2006

Back Pain Answer A575

It is likely that symptoms, you are feeling, are caused by the spondylotic changes of the cervical vertebral column. Anatomical changes in vertebral spondylosis are disc’s degeneration (bulging and protrusion), encroachment of the inter-vertebral foramina and vertebral canal and vertebral deformities (osteofites, spondylolistesis). All this changes can make pressure on neural structures (spinal nerves and spinal cord) that is manifested with pain, numbness, paraestesions, muscle weakness and paralyses in the last stage. Treatment is consisted of painkillers, physical therapy and neurosurgery (disc removal).

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