[DiMarie]

Hi friends,
I am generaly all over the boards mainly on Thoracic outlet, but did some real new pain to the back. I just had a New MRI and some of it I understand, others I do not.

1. The degenerative disc multilevel lumbar;more marked at the L4/L5, Facet joint Hypertrophy from L3/L4 through L5/S1 Along with Ligamentum Flavum Prominence at L3-L-4 and L-4 L-5.

2. L3-L4 Annular disc bulge sight effacing the neural formina, Moderate spinal canal Stenosis and mild bilateral Foraminal Comprimise.

3. L4-L5 Moderate disc bulge and small bilateral posterlateral disc herniations which could affect either or both of the L4 nerve roots. Moderate spinal canal stenosis and severe bilateral foaminal comprimise.

4. L5-S1 Mild disc bulge slightly effacing the neural formina and mild Bilateral forminal comprimise.

5. Marginal spinal osteophyte at L4-L5

My previous MRI was a degenerative buldge L5, slight L4.( My spine curves at this point making the right S7I up high and tipped from the left side) I guess this osteophyte formed from the tip.......

This pain is chronic across lumbar, hip, hip joints, down the side and front of the thighs. My legs shot pain. If I am standing doing dishes, more them moments my back KILLS. We went to the park the other day and I use a rollater to get around, but still could not walk back to the car, I had to be pushed. I had many breaks, it was only 4 hrs?

Pitched forward motion ouch, no bend to pick up, If I am sitting on the butt a certain way and go to stand, I can't and shot pain.
Thanks for any decifer
di

Never mind, I did a term by term search.....

[Peter B]

Sounds to me like you have a spinal or pelvic joint either locked or out of place.
When either of these things happen, the muscles go all defensive to protect the joint, and soon become very tight and sore, giving the pain you describe.
I have had many occurrences of a similar nature.
See a physio or chiro to have all of these joints checked out for alignment.
MRIs don't take into account soft tissue trauma, an area far more likely to be a cause of pain.
Everything thing we do depends on our muscles, yet we don't look after them, and don't think about them when we get ill.
I've learnt the hard way!
My biggest success in relieving muscle pain is very simple, cheap, harmless and fast acting.
I take a lot of magnesium chloride, mixed with water and used as my sole water intake. Works when you have a magnesium deficiency, which most people have.
You can get tablets and powders, but the liquid is the fastest acting.
After getting your joints checked, and corrected, get a remedial massage to begin the healing process for your muscles.

[DiMarie]

Thanks for thoughts,
I have had so many cervical issues for so long, it seems like I don't even think about them with all this low back, hip stuff now.
Have a good PT magic hands, good massage, try to make time or monies!

I can not even walk around the house any more. I have such pressure pain, shoots down and leg goes out, the pain in the low back while at a museum with my kiddo was tremendous and I was using a rollator. I had to sit on it and have dd push me most of the way.
I had a shot of toradol the day before to bring the pain down and thought I could get away with a cane.

I hate to depend on so much medication, the tons of Advil gives me heartburn, and nothing takes away the pain, not even the med I am perscribed anymore.

I have to clean for family coming tomorrow and I can not stand with out pain...

Biofreeze, TENS, ice, Asprin, or toradol, percocette, valium for spasms. Not that I use to take it everyday, BUT now I have too!
I get relief if I lean over an item, get the pressure off my back..or sit in the recliner. I can't sleep on a flat bed, only the recliner.

I am not sure if the lumbar series of shots ESI will help like it did the cervical or not.
I sat on the computer chair with a rag on my foot to wash the floor up.
I can not bend to get to the litter box. Bought a cat genie and they cats snub the plastic granuals!
I know I flared helping clean out my dd home, packing, pushing, pulling.....but I feel like I lifted an elephant and it stepped on my low back.

[(Broken Wings)]

Oh... so sorry you're having it so rough, constantly. It makes it miserable to do anything.

Hang in there. Here's a hug for you...

[Leesa]

Maybe I can put this in layman's terms:

You have degenerative disc at L4-5; Facet hypertrophy from L3/4-L5-S1 along with Ligamentum Flavum prominence at L3-4 & L4-5. What this means is the facets (bony wing-like protrusions in the back) are overgrowing on L3-4 thru L5-S1. The ligamentum Flavum is a large ligament often involved in stenosis, which runs as a continuous band from the lamina to lamina in the spine. The lamina is part of the vertebra at the back part of the vertebral arch that forms the roof of the canal thru which the spinal cord and nerve roots pass. What they mean by prominence is confusing. I suspect that it is swollen.

2. L3-4 A disc bulge, touching the neural foramina. This is the "hole" that the nerves pass thru to the spinal cord. You also have stenosis, which is narrowing of the spinal canal.

3. L4-5 You have a disc bulge and? herniations???? which could affect the nerve roots of L4. That could hurt! Spinal stenosis and severe neural foraminal narrowing. This isn't very good.

4. L5-S1 disc bulge slightly touching the neural foramina

5. Bone spurs at L4-5

It sounds like you also have sciatica, if the pain is going into the hip and down into the leg. I've had this for 24 years, due to the surgeon lettiing it go on for too long. Now i'm stuck with it for the rest of my life. Goody. LOL. It's SUPER painful, and I'm really sick of taking opiates. I hope yours goes away soon. I also hope you don't need surgery, because most of the time you're worse off than before surgery. Try EVERY conservative methods first, UNLESS your spinal CORD is being compromised.

Best of luck and God bless. hugs, Lee

[(Broken Wings)]

Lessa, that's a really good explanation for DiMarie

So sorry you're having problems too. It's a lot to deal with.

I pray you find some peace today.