Question
Please help me to understand this cervical spine MRI without contrast:  

C4-5 disc space narrowing and endplate changes with an exiting left posterolateral lateral disc osteophyte complex moderately narrowing the left Neural Foramen and not affecting the central canal or spinal cord.  

Narrowing at C4-5 is seen with endplate changes.  

Thecal sac, spinal cord: Normal physiology, signal and location.  

Base of Skull, C2-3: Normal.  

C3-4: Normal.  

C4-5 Disc dessiccaion and narrowing is seen with a .5mm exiting left posterolateral/lateral neural foraminal disc/osteophyte complex narrowing the exiting left neural foramina not directly affecting the central canal with a normal spinal cord.  

C5-6, C6-7, CT-T1: Normal

Answer
Hi Carol,

Do you have neck pain or pain/numbness/tingling in your left shoulder or arm?  

Nerves that go to your arms come from your neck. To travel from the spinal cord to your arm they have to go through spaces between the vertebra that make up your spine. Age or injury can lead to degenerative changes in your spine which can reduce the space that the nerves have to pass through.

Your MRI findings show that at the level of C4-C5 (near the middle of your neck), the disc space between your vertebra is reduced and you have bony growths called osteophytes which are reducing the space that your nerve has to pass through on the left. It also shows that your spinal cord is not affected.

When the nerves do not have enough space to pass through, this can lead to the nerves becoming irritated and producing neck pain and symptoms into your arm/shoulder.

The findings are quite common and symptoms can usually be relieved with conservative care (chiropractic, physical therapy, exercises).

I hope this helps!

Dr. Liza