43-year-old dad with cervical spinal cord compression and possible myelopathy — looking for similar experiences
Hi everyone,
I'm posting on behalf of my dad. He is 43 years old and recently had a cervical spine MRI. We have already visited multiple doctors and spine specialists, but we are getting different opinions. Some doctors recommend surgery because of the spinal cord compression, while others say to monitor it and avoid surgery for now. My dad is hesitant and wants to better understand what people with similar situations experienced.
His MRI showed:
- C3-C4: Broad-based posterior disc protrusion causing significant spinal canal stenosis with compression of the cervical spinal cord. There is T2/STIR hyperintense signal within the cord, suggesting possible compressive myelopathic changes.
- C4-C5: Disc protrusion causing central canal stenosis, mild cord compression, and similar cord signal changes.
- C5-C6: Disc-osteophyte complex with disc protrusion causing canal narrowing and compression of the ventral aspect of the spinal cord.
- C6-C7: Disc protrusion with foraminal narrowing but no significant cord compression.
His symptoms currently include:
- Left shoulder numbness
- Occasional burning sensation
- Episodes of dizziness
We understand that every case is different, and we are not looking for medical advice. We are mainly hoping to hear from people who have had similar MRI findings and what their journey was like.
For anyone who has experienced cervical spinal stenosis, cervical myelopathy, or spinal cord compression:
- Did your MRI show spinal cord signal changes?
- What symptoms did you have before deciding on treatment?
- Were you advised to have surgery or monitor the condition?
- If doctors disagreed about surgery, how did you decide?
- If you had surgery, did it improve your symptoms and how was recovery?
Any personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
