Can someone explain my MRI results in layman's terms?

Tests and investigations
1

I'm a 21 y/o male with the following symptoms: Muscle twitching, muscle pain, facial numbness, arm and leg numbness/tingling, back tingling, middle-upper back pain, muscle loss in palms of hands so that they are caving in, heightened foot arches, etc.. 

I'm a 21-year-old male. Also had an EMG and nerve conduction study come back normal, and all blood work came back normal.. I am wondering if the results of this MRI can explain any of my symptoms.

MRI OF CERVICAL SPINE: 

FINDINGS: Craniovertebral and cervicomedullary junction are normal. Slight reversal cervical lordosis centered at C5 and C6. Otherwise posterior bony alignment is normal without fracture or subluxation. No obvious intradural pathology. 

C2-C3: Small left uncovertebral spur. Mild facet arthropathy. No central stenosis. Minimal left foraminal narrowing. 

C3-C4: Normal disc. Small uncovertebral spurs left greater than right left facet hypertrophy. Minimal left foraminal narrowing. 

C4-C5: No significant bulge or protrusion. Small uncovertebral spurs left greater than right with mild left foraminal narrowing. 

C5-C6: This irregular protrusion slightly eccentric to the right extending into the uncovertebral region. Right greater than left uncovertebral spurs. Moderate right and mild left foraminal narrowing. 

C6-C7: Normal disc. No central or foraminal stenosis. 

C7-T1: Normal. 

IMPRESSION: Slight reversal cervical lordosis. Minimal rightward disc protrusion C5-C6 with right greater than left foraminal narrowing. Left greater than right foraminal narrowing and C2-3-3, C3-C4 and C4-C5. No cord compression or intradural abnormality. 

Would these results explain my nerve symptoms? Or is it more than likely due to something else?... My doctor seems to think my MRI is too normal to explain any or all of my symptoms, but I'm not sure whether I trust her opinion on this...

Thank you!

2

I think it's difficult to tell but your MRI does seem to be normal and not related to what you are experiencing. Has your doctor got any other ideas what the cause is or what treatments can be offered to help reduce the symptoms? Have you tried a chiropractor or physiotherapist? Do you get a lot of anxiety? I would ask the doctor what she thinks is going on? Hope you get some answers soon. 

3

* According to the description you've mentioned, there are narrowings of the right foramina (spaces) of the neck verterbae, but there's no mention of the narrowings compressing/pinching the nerves that are going through them.. So it's very likely your doctor is right about the MRI being normal..

I also agree with angie42070 that it would be good to ask your doctor what she thinks the problem is, or you could voice that you would like some relief from your symptoms so she could start with management while trying to figure out the problem..

* About the muscle loss in the hands, have you been diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Part of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is muscle loss/wasting of the thenar group -the group of muscles controling the thumb- due to the compression of the median nerve.. This usually happens when there is repetitive movement/strain of the wrist (e.g. prolonged typing on a keyboard with a bad wrist posture), resulting in the trapping of the nerve in the tendons of the wrist.. Have you noticed other symtpoms in your hands (clumsiness of the thumb, difficulty buttoning a shirt, numbness/tingling in the fingers, pain in the wrist)? You could ask your doctor, but this would separate from your main problem..

Hope this helped, & that you find a solution/relief..

4

I think it sounds normal if the dr says it is than I would not worry but you could always go for a second opinion

5

I agree with Dr chocolate as well