Have you had an MRI? Compared to CT, MRI produces more detailed images of soft tissue and differentiates between similar tissues more effectively. Have you also have xray series with flexion of your neck? If so please post more info. If not - strongly suggest you get an MRI. What specialty is the doctor doing all this testing?

Although you had a negative EMG it does not mean that a nerve is not being irritated. How soon after your onset of syptoms was the EMG performed? Have they checked your neural foramens via xray or they would see in MRI? There are many types of pain generators, one is called chemical irritation, referring to pain that is generated by tissue inflammation. This type irritation is common in discs that are leaking and torn.

Now that it has been a few days from your discogram - do you have increased pain?

Post more info and I will see if I have other ideas for you.

Thanks for the response. I had a MRI, mylogram, and CT scan done about a year ago. My doctor at the time said that none of the findings were related to my pain. So I spent the next year treating the facets (two rhitozonomy’s and physical therapy) — no real improvement.

I moved across state and began seeing a new doctor (physical therapy/pain management). He took one look at the MRI report and said "there’s some disc stuff here — we need to get a better look." Thus last weeks’ discogram. The test was pretty painless.

Here’s the MRI report from Nov. 06:

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C2-3
Partial disc desiccation with preservation of disc height. No disc hernia, cord deformity, or nerve impingement despite minimal bilateral uncovertebral and facet spurring.

C3-4
Partial disc desiccation with preservation of disc height. Left posterolateral shallow disc protrusion.

C4-5
Partial disc desiccation with preservation of disc height. Pseudo bulge less than 2 mm without focal disc hernia, despite mild bilateral facet spurring.

C5-6
Disc desiccation with preservation of disc height. Shallow right posterolateral disc protrustion narrowing subarachnoid space around the exiting right C6 nerve root. No effacement of subarachnoid space or face around the exiting right of left C6 nerve despite minimal facet spurring. Posterior disc bulge less than 2 mm, central AP canal diameter 11.5 mm w/o cord deformity.

C6-7
Partial disc desiccation with preservation of disc height. Right posterolateral disc protrustion less than 2 mm AP diameter, 6 mm transverse diameter extending towards the neural foramen.

–

I reviewed the discogram and CT results with my doctor yesterday, and he’s sending me to a surgeon who has a better understanding of the scans and discs. He also said that my symptoms (mainly pain in the muscles and joints) doesn’t necessarily match the scans , but after 7 years of failed treatments and diagnostics, this might be it. Most healthy 25 years olds don’t have 2 torn discs.

Does that help? Thanks again.

-EG