Hello I am a new member who is considering the ProdiscC for a problem at C5-6. On my latest MRI you can see the disc compressing the spine by @ 1/3 and also have stenosis.
In Feb. 2009 I was literally laying in the floor crying one night with terrible pain
in my left arm. The long and the short of it I was recommend a fusion of C5/6 at Jackson Memorial in Miami and also Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL. For whatever reason I did not do the procedure. The pain was controlled/went away after three epidurals. I have had four more subsequent to control pain. I am now having a constant numbness in two fingers on my left hand and am experiencing unexplained pain in the C5/6 region. I have been told also that I "may" be causing permanent nerve damage (the numbness).
I recently saw Rolando Garcia in Miami who says that I am a fair candidate for the ProdiscC. Fair because I do have bone spurs and some arthritis in the area. Otherwise I am a healthy, active man in my late 50's.
Insurance is not a problem. My main concern is although pain is controlled for now, I do have activities that cause immediate numbness in my left arm, possible nerve damage, the possibility of not being able to control pain in the future (I can't do anymore frontal epidurals), and not being a candidate later in life.
There seems to be a varied group of participants on this board and I would appreciate your opinions.
Also opinions on ProdiscC vs M6.
Thanks in advance.