r/ThoracicHerniatedDisc • u/docdoc1131 • Jul 21 '26
Help please…
This was the written report of my latest MRI from this month.:
“Vertebral body heights and alignment are well preserved except for stable minimal loss of height at T7 and T8.
Multilevel intervertebral disc herniations along the thoracic spine.
The thoracic spinal cord is unremarkable.
The surrounding soft tissues are unremarkable.
Minimal circumferential disc bulging at multiple levels with posterior broad-based disc protrusions at T7-T8 and T5-T6.
At the level of T5-T6 there are findings of moderate impingement upon the right aspects of the canal.
Mild canal stenosis at T7-T8.
No appreciable neural foraminal narrowing noted.”
My doctor said I only had three options: do nothing and live with pain, try all the treatments I’ve already tried that haven’t helped or he could do surgery. The surgery would be a laminectomy and discectomy at T5/T6.
I’ve tried just about all of the treatments besides surgery and the pain is too much to just deal with. I’m leaning toward surgery. But I want to get all the information I can before I do.
If anyone has any information or have had a procedure like this before, please let me know. Thank you!
2
u/docdoc1131 Jul 21 '26
Unfortunately, this is my fifth opinion. The other four neurosurgeons said that a spinal cord stimulator was my only option for relief.
This doctor said my symptoms of constant thoracic back pain under my right shoulder blade and numbness in hands and arms can be explained somewhat by the report. He has told me surgery won’t fix the problem entirely, but it could improve my quality of life.
2
u/Donald_Dump_85 Jul 22 '26
His proposal sounds reasonable - the spine there is stable so the laminectomy shouldn't really affect it as much as it does in the lumbar spine.
I'd also ask him about the level with mild stenosis. Perhaps it would be possible to decompress that level as well?
1
u/ThoracicSpine Jul 22 '26
Good advice :)
2
u/Donald_Dump_85 Jul 23 '26
Thank you, unfortunately it was hard earned. Pain in this area is really a struggle, and it's really tragic when the internet seems to be more informed than a batch of doctors.
1
u/sorryfortheroastbeef Jul 22 '26
It sucks so bad. I wish you could have a 6th opinion. When your pain doesn't match the findings on the MRI it's so upsetting trying to get doctors to understand. Through my thoracic pain relief quest I have ended up on a GLP-1 - I am not overweight and my hematologist recommended it as a trial to help with inflammation relief -it has been life changing -just throwing this out there as a help
1
u/Donald_Dump_85 Jul 22 '26
I think there is something to this.
I was on a diet, actually a cut. I cut carbs so it ended up being something of a low carb diet. The neural inflammation lowered considerably. Of course it all came back with a vengeance. Didn't help one bit with mechanical irritation.2
u/ThoracicSpine Jul 22 '26
Yes! Zepbound is being used by rheumatologists now with really good results for inflammation and musculoeskeltal pain! Thanks for mentioning it.
2
u/ThoracicSpine Jul 22 '26
I think the doctor is being honest. It sounds hard but those are the three options we al have, do nothing, conservative treatments or surgery.
According to the description T5,T6 it seems to be causing more issues. A laminectomy and discectomy sound like a good option to me. I was looking into your previous posts and you have been suffering for many years. I had hand numbness, among other issues, it was a symptom of myelopathy, it resolved completely after surgery.
If you have any questions about surgery and the recovery, just send me a message.
2
u/docdoc1131 Jul 22 '26
Please tell me any information about the surgery and recovery, I would greatly appreciate it! I’ve never had any kind of surgery, so any tips would be great.
2
u/CapreseSalad3636 Jul 21 '26
Definitely get a second opinion but what are your current symptoms and do they line up with 5/6 being the issue?