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Cervical Stenosis

kazzab456kazzab456 Posts: 23
edited 14. Dec 2017, 05:03 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi ive got OA in my right hip and left shoulder ac joint and last year I had surgery on my arm to release a compressed ulnar nerve. As the op didnt solve my nerve problems ive had a neck MRI done which says that at c5 and c6 I have moderate left foraminal stenosis but no evidence of nerve route compression. Im guessjng that this means that my spinal cord isnt compressed but I dont really know what this means.

Does anyone know if stenosis is another way of saying that I have OA in my neck and if not what does stenosis mean? If anyone has cervical stenosis can you let me know what symptoms you have please? Its taken a long time to finally get a diagnosis but nobody is explaining to me in simple terms what these results mean.

Thanks

Comments

  • Airwave!Airwave! Posts: 2,427 ✭✭
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Understanding and accepting arther is a bigger part of living with him, you are bigger than him, don't let it define your life. The medical terms are fine if you spend half a lifetime understanding them.

    Sit and talk with at least your GP in laymans terms and take his advice.

    Good luck.
  • moderatormoderator Posts: 4,082 mod
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi kazzab456
    here is a link to what stenosis means for you to read https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lumbar-decompression-surgery/why-its-done/#spinal-stenosis and compression does mean pressing on. I hope this helps but as airwave suggests it is best to go and have a chat with your GP and ask them to explain it to you so that you really understand what is going on, I am sure he will also be able to tell you what the symptoms might be. I also think we do have some members on here who will be able to share their experiences with you
    Best wishes
    Sharon
  • dreamdaisydreamdaisy Posts: 31,567 ✭✭✭
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had a quick look at Dr Google (he can be useful for some things) and as I understand it stenosis is the medical term for narrowing: arthritis is one of the possible causes. The narrowing can lead to pressure being placed on nerves leading to discomfort. I think I have had experience of stenosis with carpal tunnel syndrome.

    It's always worth reminding docs that we, as mere patients, are not fluent in that difficult foreign language called Medic. It does them no harm to speak our language, does it? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
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