Possible cervical and lumbar radiculopathies

Dear Ask The Doctor: Good evening, I am posting this in the hope that someone will recognize the following symptoms in a middle aged male: Whenever he lies down horizontally, almost immediately numbness begins in both arms. This progresses to the point where he literally cannot feel any sensation below the elbows, he could probably immerse them in acid and he wouldn't feel anything. The past couple of weeks it has spread to his legs, he has to sit on the bed and wait for the sensation to return or he risks a fall. He had two broken discs in his neck years ago and also osteoarthritis in the cervical column (with associated spinal stenosis and radiculopathy- this was diagnosed 8 years ago) and was told it would lead to "neurological deficit" which would be debilitating later in life. Is this the resulting fallout from that? Or what else could it possibly be? Any responses would be helpful and appreciated!

Dear Hello: With your previous history of cervical spine problems, it is likely that the altered sensation in your arms might be due a cervical root nerve compression, but it would be also important to rule out inflammation of the peripheral nerves at the level of the arm and hand. In the older patients, cervical radiculopathy is often a result of spinal canal narrowing from bone (osteophyte) formation, decreased disc height and degenerative changes due to aging process or previous trauma (osteoarthrosis). The same described before for the cervical spine applies to the lower back in terms of causing pain and numbness in the legs, same causes, different spinal level. The treatment strategy usually includes: physical therapy program aimed to reduce pain and inflammation, and the use of anti-inflammatory medication (“Aleve”, “Motrin”), also you should learn re-education of your postural habits. You should be independent in a stretching and strengthening program and continue with these exercises under the periodic supervision of a physical therapist initially and then completely on your own. If your condition fails to improve with a comprehensive rehabilitation program and selective injections, you might be presented with a surgical evaluation.