Question
I have had neck pain for a long time.  Finally my PCP ordered a MRI and it showed:
 C2-3 disc herniation effacing the ventral thecal sac with mod canal narrowing, bilat facet arthropathy.
C3-4 Disc osteophyte complex effacing the ventral thecal sac with mod canal narrowing and L facet arthropathy.
C4-5 Same as 2-3 but with bilat neural foraminal stenosis due to osteophyte complex and facet arthropathy.
C5-6 Disc osteophyte complex effacing the ventral thecal sac causing mod canal stenosis Bilat foraminal stenosis with facet arthropathy
c6-7 Disc osteophyte complex mild canal stenosis. Severe L foraminal stenosis bilat facet arthropathy
Thoracic MRI showed:
 Mod sized disc herniation T8-9 deforming the sac and the cord itself along its ventral surface. Also sm disc herniation at T9-10 slightly deforming the thecal sac and slightly effacing the R side of the cord.
T11-12 Disc bulge and dessication
With all this -what do you see as the area of most interest?  Do you know much about Laser surgery on these areas?  Would this help me-or am I in for a life of pain?  I am a 56  y/o female.
Thanks for your time, Sandy

Answer
Sandy,
You are young, and you were put on this earth to be well and enjoy your LIFE!
Even with all of the trouble that you apparently are having your body is self-regulating and self-healing, it just needs a little help sometimes, thats all.  Surgery is very drastic and very permanent, so much so, that we do not even say that word in our clinic until we give the most sound and sensible method of healthcare a try first.  When we do this, we have found that less than 1% do not improve or get recommended for surgery.  So you have more than a 99% chance that you do not need surgery!
Now, the reason that there is so much degeneration and misalignment in your spine is due to the Upper Cervical Spine Injury or Subluxation.  You see, when the C1 or C2 vertebrae are misaligned, they cause a situation where the rest of the spine follows and becomes misaligned as well as becoming unstable.  When your spine is unstable over time, the body will attempt to create its own stability by getting rid of discs and growing extra bone.
Therefore, the Best way to correct this problem is to re-align the Upper Cervical Spine and create stability and strength, then the rest of the spine will follow, and the body will no longer need to create extra bone as a form of stability and strength because it will already be regaining stability and strength.  Does that make sense?
The only doctor in the world with this specific training and skill is the Upper Cervical Specific Doctor of Chiropractic.  If you would like a "Best of The Best Doctor" Referral, then send me your town and state so that I may find you a doctor that can help you too.
Nothing is bigger than LIFE!
Yours in Best Health,
Dr Rob Arnone