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Do I Need Surgery If I Have Fibromyalgia?
Question: Hello. I am 48 year old female. Weight 135lbs, height 5ft 7". At C3-4 a diffuse disc bulge with mild narrowing of the central canal and moderate narrowing of the neural formina. At C4-5 diffuse disc osteophytic ridge with severe stenosis of the neural formina and moderate narrowing of the central canal. At C5-6 there is a diffuse disc osteophytic ridge with severe stenosis of the central canal and neural formina. At C6-7 diffuse disc osteophytic ridge with moderate narrowing of the central canal and severe narrowing of the neural foramina. At C7-T1 the central canal is patent. There is moderate narrowing of the neural foramina. I have tingling and numbness in my left hand, some loss of feeling on the left of my back. And pain. Stiffness in my neck and pain when I turn it. Sometimes headaches. I also have muscle spasms on both sides. Also pain in my lower back, but the MRI didn't cover that area. In addition, I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Do you think I'm going to need surgery? Help!!
I forgot to say that the MRI was done in April 2009. It feels like it has got worse.
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
Your are having a cervical spondylosis with stenosis of the foramina from which nerves come out causing the nerve compression.
Right now it is causing only numbness and pain.
But before coming to a conclusion, I would like to know few more things which will help me in suggesting you better:
1. Is the pain present only in your neck and back or it shoots all over to the arms?
2. Are you taking any treatment for the pain?
3. Is there any relief? How far is the relief when you take the medicines regularly?
Regarding the need of surgery, it depends on your symptoms and how far you are relieved after taking the proper medicines.
In this case surgery is not an emergency. If you can lead a normal life with the help of medicines then the surgery can be avoided for a while. The disease process will not be reversed with any medicines but the symptoms can be taken care of.
It depends on the assessment of your orthopaedician when will you need surgery. Usually a surgery is not needed in such early stages of the problem.
I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.
Regards.
Thanks for writing to us.
Your are having a cervical spondylosis with stenosis of the foramina from which nerves come out causing the nerve compression.
Right now it is causing only numbness and pain.
But before coming to a conclusion, I would like to know few more things which will help me in suggesting you better:
1. Is the pain present only in your neck and back or it shoots all over to the arms?
2. Are you taking any treatment for the pain?
3. Is there any relief? How far is the relief when you take the medicines regularly?
Regarding the need of surgery, it depends on your symptoms and how far you are relieved after taking the proper medicines.
In this case surgery is not an emergency. If you can lead a normal life with the help of medicines then the surgery can be avoided for a while. The disease process will not be reversed with any medicines but the symptoms can be taken care of.
It depends on the assessment of your orthopaedician when will you need surgery. Usually a surgery is not needed in such early stages of the problem.
I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.
Regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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