Question
I would like to give you the results of my MRI - Routine MRI sequences of the cervical spine were performed - There is no more signal of the spinal cord with no evidence of obstruction.  The vertebral body heights are maintained.  There is multilevel disc desiccation and marginal spurring and facet arthropathy.  At C3-4, there is a slight disc bulging and osteophytes slightly indenting the right paracentral area.  There may be slight narrowing of the right lateral recess.  At C4-5 and C5-6 a slight disc bulging and osteophytes slightly indenting the sac of the right paracentral area.  There may be slight narrowing of the R lateral recess. Impressioni:  Some multilevel hypertropic osteoarthritic degenerative changes of the unconvertible joints, facet arthropathy & disc degenerative changes seen especially at C3-4, C4-5 & C5-6, as described above. No acute fractures  My dr has suggested an injection or PT - Could you interpt this MRI and do you agree with injection or PT? Thank You

Answer
Hi, Connie.

Injections are probably irrelevant.  Why?  Disc bulges, bone spurs, and facet arthropy typically result from muscular contractions that pull vertebrae together.  One can't free muscular contractions with injections -- although trigger point injections are still commonly in use.

Muscles obey the nervous system, which controls muscles through learned action patterns.

PT may help if the PT is adept at neuromuscular education (movement training, which is not stretching or strengthening, but coordination training).

May I direct you to my write-ups on neck injuries:

http://www.somatics.com/whiplash.htm

and

http://www.squidoo.com/Pain_Management_through_Movement_Education