What is this? moderately severe disc and joint degeneration at c5-6. mild disc dessication otherwise with minimal endplate spurring at c4-5 and c6-7. at c5-6 there is disc bulge and spur, mild inferiorly protruding broad-based disc material centrally.

The : The quoted text appears to be part of a radiologist's interpretation of an MRI of the cervical spine (the neck). It points to some anatomical evidence for degeneration ("wear and tear") of the disks (gristle-y cushions between the bones) and the bones in the neck. The neck bones are numbered from 1 to 7, from the top to the bottom. The spaces between the neck bones are filled in part by discs, and in part by other joints. These spaces and joints are indicated by the numbers of their adjacent vertebrae. C5-6, for example is the junction between the 5th and 6th vertebrae. The spinal cord runs through a channel. The walls of the channel are formed by the bones of the vertebrae. The channel is called the central canal. The spinal cord gives of paired spinal nerve roots, which pass through smaller bony channels to get to the neck and the appendages. These channels are called foramina. Stenosis is a narrowing in a channel. Foraminal stenosis is narrowing of one of the smaller channels, which can possibly pinch one of the nerve roots, causing sensation problems, pain, or weakness. Central canal stenosis is narrowing of the central canal, which can sometimes squeeze the spinal cord.

You : You have worn out disks, bone spurs and nerve pinching. How old are you? How bad is your pain? Where is your pain, numbness, tingling and/or weakness? Good luck!

An : An opening that a nerve exits the spine through is called a foramen. You have a left and right foramen at every disc level. Stenosis is another word for narrowing. "severe right c5-6 foraminal stenosis" could pinch your C6 nerve root resulting in right arm pain, numbness, tingling and weakness. Depending on the severity of your symptoms you may need to see a spine surgeon.