Bad pain, back & arm. 30 yrs ago mri says bulging disc c5-6. xray now says intervertebral disc space narrowing & endplate hypertrophic spurring at c5-6 & 6-7. what's the next step? dr gave flexeril & meloxicam, not helping?

It would be important to day your MRI to see if the nerve root that comes out of the cervical spine is being impinged. Since conservative treatment with medications and topical ice have failed, if your updated MRI shows nerve root impingement call of a pain management doctor can inject that area with a steroid to reduce the swelling of the nerve root which sometimes helps the pain.

The options include epidural steroids or an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Your description is consistent with cervical spondylosis and degenerative disc disease. Unless the neck is unstable, spinal cord is threatened, bladder control lost, or progressive loss of strength and muscular atrophy, would not choose surgery. If clearcut nerve root compression, epidural injection might help. Physical therapy with motorized traction, and subsequent McKenzie exercises useful