Severe Cervical Facet Osteoarthritis & Forminal Narrowing (in C3-C4) (MRI, x-rays)

[Azalea City Man]

Have fun with that title.

This is what I have been diagnosed with, at least after X-rays. Basically in C3-C4 my facet joints have severe osteoarthritis and due to this, the canals that let nerves in and out in C3-C4 have bilaterally narrowed in a severe manner (the word severe was actually used in the x-ray report). Have not received an MRI yet to see if any nerves are being pinched/irritated because of the narrowing, but I suspect so as I am getting "shock" pains ocassionally in my arms. Specialist is trying oral steroids first, which I just finished the pack yesterday. Helped first few days. Not really now though.

So, the question is ... have any of you ever gone through anything like this? Any advice? I'm starting to get really down, as everything I read says this is not something you can recover from - but instead something you must learn to manage.

Edit: Should add that I'm basically 30 years old and the x-ray showed no other problems in cervical or lumbar spine.

[Janipoo]

Originally Posted by Azalea City Man

Have fun with that title.

This is what I have been diagnosed with, at least after X-rays. Basically in C3-C4 my facet joints have severe osteoarthritis and due to this, the canals that let nerves in and out in C3-C4 have bilaterally narrowed in a severe manner (the word severe was actually used in the x-ray report). Have not received an MRI yet to see if any nerves are being pinched/irritated because of the narrowing, but I suspect so as I am getting "shock" pains ocassionally in my arms. Specialist is trying oral steroids first, which I just finished the pack yesterday. Helped first few days. Not really now though.

So, the question is ... have any of you ever gone through anything like this? Any advice? I'm starting to get really down, as everything I read says this is not something you can recover from - but instead something you must learn to manage.

Edit: Should add that I'm basically 30 years old and the x-ray showed no other problems in cervical or lumbar spine.

I am 44 and last year I had cervial surgery and fusion on C4-C6. I had severe narrowing, daily spasms and lost all functions of my right arm. They gave me a steriod pack and I started getting use of my arm back right away even though I still had narrowing. After my surgery, I was fine, still had nerve damage from being so compressed but that eventually calmed down. Now I am having problems again and waiting on my MRI, the doctor thinks another section of my neck is breaking down so it looks as though I will be heading back to surgery. I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease but the doctor said I was one of the worst cases he had seen with me being young and not overweight.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I had problems at C4-C5 and had a fusion. Never looked back and am fine 14 yrs later. Surgery can be a life-saver.

[Janipoo]

Yes after my surgery, all the pain went away and got full use of my arm back even the weakness was gone. I thought that would of been the end of it but now I have more going bad. I will wait for my results of the MRI but my thought is try to hold off for as long as I can and let them do the whole neck if the rest is going to go bad too. I'd rather have 1 big surgery than keep having to keep going back in.