Lots of big health words above, but I have struggled with back and neck pain for as long as I can remember. Finally had xrays and MRI done this week. Xray didn't show anything, but MRI revealed the above.

Anyone ever had either of these issues in their back? I have an appt with a neurosurgeon this afternoon to find out my options.

Two disc replacement surgery in Jan 2020 for C5-C7. Best thing I ever did.

Do you have numbness/tingling/pain down your arms? You'll wake up from surgery and have immediate relief!

My SIL had fusion from C5-C7 this summer and it relieved all of her symptoms.

We each had been struggling for years and tried everything to avoid surgery but are happy we did it.

how ~old~ are you?

we could MRI 100 people >50years old and we can radiographically find "lumbosacral spondylosis with radiculopathy" and "cervical canal stenosis" on 99 of them

point being, its an expected finding as we age, and radiographically it might not line up with your symptoms (though it definitely could)


"back and neck pain" is very vague when it comes to MRI / neuro-anatomy

44 yo male. what I've learned through the follow ups is we are going to treat with pain mgmt applications vs surgery for now.

I haven't had tingling or numbness down to my hand, but I've felt it in my left shoulder and bicep a few times.

id prob try to get an EMG/NCS (w/ a neuromuscular neurologist) to confirm or refute the cervical/lumbosacral levels noted on MRIs

Not on here much, happened to catch this one and figured I'd respond.

Had all that and other big words I made the doc dumb down for me. Former .mil pilot. One disc replacement, three levels of fusion five years after the disc replacement. I had no conservative options per the doc for the second one, because of how fast the degeneration occurred, and the pressure it was putting on my spinal cord. Symptoms were loss of use of left arm for first one (disc blew out compressing spinal cord) and then losing feeling in hands and dropping things before the second.

Healing was fairly uneventful. Worst thing was a neck brace for the second one. Pain relief and feeling was immediate - have some residual nerve damage from the first as the Army waited 6 months before they saw a need to fix it. I was totally off opiods fairly quickly, and dealt with some pain as they make me sick.

I feel like it's worth it if your quality of life is affected, and the doc doesn't think physical therapy or any other conservative measures will work. Happy with my decisions, meeting with pain management doc to try and avoid lower back surgery for now, because I've heard that is much more problematic with regard to recovery. Lots of big words with that one as well, but not as severe as my c spine. Some buddies have had nerve ablation, and that's on the table for me if he thinks it will help. Physical therapy didn't do much.

well looks like we're going to try the epidural pain management shot this month. I'll report back how effective it is.

For those going through chronic back pain, any of you in the Houston area? Is there a pain management doctor you'd recommend?

I have a host of issues in my lower back: rotoscoliosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolysthesis, DDD, 4 bulging discs, 1 torn disc, pars defects, sciatica. I saw a surgeon and I do need fusion surgery, but this year wasn't a good time for it. So I'm trying to find a pain management doctor that will give me more than naproxen (triggers an ulcer if I take even one dose) or Gabapentin (doesn't do a thing).

Went to one pain doctor and wasn't impressed. He just recommended aquatic therapy and nothing more. Stopped seeing him over 2 years ago.

Saw my GP and asked her for a muscle relaxer prior to a long flight to Seattle, and she said no, I had to go see my previous pain doctor. Even when I told her I wasn't seeing him anymore and had no intention of going back.

Someone recommended a different doctor to me and I went and saw him. He doesn't believe in treating with prescriptions, but he put me through EVEYRTHING. Imaging, multiple rounds of diagnostic nerve blocks, nerve induction testing...all of it. Nothing worked and I'm not a candidate for nerve ablation since I get 0 relief from the nerve blocks. This doctor then said "I can't do anything more for you. Come back after you've had surgery." That was back in January.

Friend recommended a doctor he swears by, so I scheduled an appt with him online. Get a call from his receptionist and she says I can't see that doctor bc about 4-5 years ago I saw a different doctor in the same clinic. I told her I didn't want to see the doctor again and I specifically want to see this new one bc he came highly recommended. She still refused.

Why is it so hard to find someone who will treat pain?? They can view all my pharmacy records and see the last time I had an opioid prescription was over 20 years ago when I had my wisdom teeth out. The strongest thing I've taken in the last 2 years is methocarbamol. Other than that, I tough it out with heating pads, ice packs, and rest. Just gritting through chronic pain for going on 20 years now.