Hello,
I am afraid that I have to side with the
neurologist, arrogant though he might have been. While the MRI shows some mild degenerative changes of the spine, these are often found in many people, in particular as we age. There is no compression of any
nerve root or the
spinal cord matter in that MRI interpretation. Even if we were to discuss the competencies of the
radiologist who interpreted the MRI there would still be the issue of the symptoms, compression of the nerves or the spinal cord doesn't cause such burning sensations in the tongue and head, their innervation comes from the brain, inside the skull, not the neck. It's the distribution of the symptoms which doesn't fit at all.
There is no doubt that there was initial inflammation and muscle spasms but it seems that the symptoms have been perpetuated by the coming in play of superimposed psychological factors. Of course that doesn't mean that you don't need help, I would still suggest treatment with medication like
Duloxetine, which has the benefit of being a common choice both for
anxiety as well as being a first choice treatment for pain due to
nerve damage, so it's a good choice in any case.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Olsi Taka,
Neurologist