Scared! Re: injuries, can I just use yoga? I have PTSD from too many medical problems

[mochicat74]

Hello,

I was rear ended in August and a chiro helped but didn't heal. Went to a doc today and he is referring me to a neourosurgeon per numbness in extremities.
The past has not been good to me physically and with over 15 surgeries for various reasons, I can't even fathom having an epideral.

Can I somehow use yoga to overcome this? It's been since August now and the numbness worsening (I'm am sedentary).

Here are the results of my MRI (I only wrote anything remarkable)
c2/3 unremarkable

c3/4 Disc bulging minimal. The central canal and right foramen are widely patent. There is borderline narrowing of the left foramen.

c4/5 Once again, I see a 3MM disc bulge with mild anterior thecal sac effacement. The central canal is borderline narrowed at 10mm AP. There is borderline to slight narrowing of the left foramen only with patent right foramen.

c5/6 At this level, there is mild bulging and a fairly large posterior disc protrusion left of the midline that has an AP depth of 5mm.
This appears to contact the left anterior cord surface.
At the midline, the central canal is narrowed to 9mm AP, more so left of midline. There is mild to moderate foraminal narrowing with patent right foramen.

c6/7 There is a prominent broad 5mm posterior disc protrusion at this level with anterior thecal sac effacement, but no definitive cord contact.
The central canal is narrowed at 9.5mm AP. There is mild to moderate left and mild right foraminal narrowing.

c7/t1 no significant disease

Can someone tell me what this even means? Did my discs burst? Can they go back into place? I was thinking about Iyengar and Chair Yoga as alternatives. I also have a mild scoliosis (Right leg is 3MM shorter than left). I'm tired of being brave. I'm tired of being stuck and opened and prodded and poked. This has been my whole life. I am considering suicide. Not planning....just really considering. Any thoughts are GREATLY appreciated. I just don't want anyone touching me.
Thank you,
Mochi

[Maria]

Hi Mochi,
I'm sorry to read of your spinal problems that have brought you to this forum with questions.

I can't say whether yoga would be helpful or harmful given your cervical MRI results however it sounds as though it's pretty significant if you're experiencing ongoing numbness (? pain or other symptoms?) for which you're being referred to a neurosurgeon.

Your MRI looks to me like you have reason for your complaints and then some. Personally I'd want to wait to see the Neurosurgeon before I started anything new re movement involving the area in question.

I'm hoping someone here with more experience interpreting MRI results would be able to help you out with answers and/or some supportive information to help you out.

Understand the negative feelings/thoughts.. so many of us get there during this spinal journey.. the trick is to hang on and exhaust all options available (and then hang on some more)... I can't tell you how much my life has changed for the better from the point of my 2nd failed spine surgery and residual symptoms .. that was back in '92.

I just wanted to reach out and welcome you and hope that someone here will answer your questions in terms of what you're really looking for re information.

take care ~ Maria