Question
I would like to understand what it means to me and my life to have two congenitally fused vertebrae in my cervical /thoracic spine. I'm35 and have had back problems (lower) for years but the recent mri on my upper back / neck has reported this new development and its left me quite worried. I have three weeks til I see my consultant and I dont want to wait that long to know more about it. Thank you.

Answer
Hi Lydia,

What you have been told you have is actually quite common.  During embryonic growth (during the fetal stages) the process of vertebral development changed for some reason.  The vertebra (the spinal bones) grew together and fused into one.  Fusion of 2 to 3 segments (vertebra) is fairly common and shows no clinical signs of abnormality, nor associated with any other malformations.  More than this can become problematic.  Rarely are congenital fusions the source of pain or discomfort.  The joints above and below may be having more pain related problems as they are performing more motion to compensate for no motion by the fused joints.  This is called hypermobility.

If you have a history of lower back pain/problems, what was going on that spurred the need for cervical/thoracic MRI's?  Legally, medical providers have to tell you "all" of the findings on an imaging study.  They should have told you upfront that this is likely NOT to be the source of your discomfort and a relatively normal, insignificant finding.  You have absolutely nothing to worry about.

If you have not seen a chiropractor for your lower back or neck discomfort, I would highly recommend you find one.  Manual manipulation of the spinal joints has a very long history (since 1895) of providing significant relief due to pain in the spine.  I hope that I have answered your question and set your mind to ease.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin Kaldy
Chiropractic Physician
www.LasVegasChiro.com
[email protected]

**This post is for the purpose of providing medical information and is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. This post is not intended to give or rule out a diagnosis, create a doctor-patient relationship or replace an existing one. I am not able to diagnose medical conditions online. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment options