Question
QUESTION: I have not been feeling well for over a year.  At first I would wake up and there would be pain and stiffness in my elbow or shoulder of either arm. Then one day I couldn't move my neck or shoulder and they did an MRI and found I had with a bulging disc with nerve impingement.  After a couple of rounds of physical therapy and prednisone, I was doing better.  Then I had a lot of pelvic/rectal pressure.  I got back some abnormal cypathology results, which turned out to be a false positve after they did a cystoscopy and CAT scan.  Then I started getting pain in my ribs and my upper right abdomen, and I have lost 15 pounds in less than a year.  Finally, several weeks ago I started feeling pinching pain in the middle of my back and then two days later the pain had spread to my lower back and I couldn't walk.  I had MRI's done which showed that I have a syrinx in my T-spine from T-5 to T-10.  At it's widest point it is only 7mm.  MRI's of the C-spine appeared normal, and MRI's of the lumbar spine showed some bulging discs but no nerve impingement. I am having all of these bizarre pains.  I get tingling and burning fingers hands -mostly the left side.  Both legs have weird pains all over. Both legs are weak, but my left leg is weaker and at times it doesn't seem to function right. I have a bad pinching pain in my left groin area, and my chest/shoulder is tight on the left side. I am having trouble making bowel movements, so they have me using stool softeners, enemas, etc. Finally I am very dizzy, totally exhausted, and feel completely out of it.    A neurosurgeon evaluated the MRI's and said that the syrnix was too small to operate.  He suggested to repeat the MRI in 6 month to compare the size.  Could all of these symptoms be related to the syrinx, even though it is so small?  What suggestions do you have as far as treatment so that I can function.  I am a teacher and have four kids, and I feel miserable.

ANSWER: Nancy,
Where was the bulging disc originally found, in the C-Spine?  If so, are you telling me that PT and steroids resolved the bulging disc problem in the C-Spine?  But now you have bulging discs in the L-Spine?
Don't worry, I am going to help you, but I want to be more clear about this before we proceed.  Please tell me what part of the country you are located in.

Yours in Best Health,
Dr Arnone
St Louis, MO

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The report from last year reads, "There is right lateral disc protrusion at C6-C7with right C7 nerve root impingement.  Minimal disc bulges are noted at C3-C4, C4-C5, and C5-C6.  Yes, the prednisone and PT helped.  Once in a while my shoulder and neck are stiff, but I stretch and it seems to help.  In fact, the recent MRI's of the C Spine did not indicate that there were ANY bulging discs.  I was surprised that they seemed to have disappeared.  I didn't think they just went away.

The MRI of the lumbar spine says "At L5-S1 there is a loss of disc height and signal.  A small central disc protrusion identified without causing any significant impingement"

I am located in Montgomery County Maryland.

I would really appreciate any help or advice you could give me.

Answer
Well Nancy,
There is no question that you need some help and ?I want you to know that it is all going to work out just fine, especially if you are able to follow my recommendations.
I would like to send you to a specialist that can help you but the 1 that was in MD has moved.  I will need some time to find someone that can help you and you may have to travel to a neighboring state for care.
Just give me a day or two and then reply to me.  I will let you what I found at that time.

Yours in Best Health,
Dr Arnone
St Louis, MO