Hi redcat,

I can see those bulging discs on your MRI, they are very similar to mine except I will say yours look a little worse and the pain I've been in has been over the top horrendous.

It annoys me to no end when they say it's all within normal limits, well....yes a lot of people have this going on but they feel nothing, then there are other people who are in a lot of pain, they can't only go by what that MRI shows, they know this.

No, the spinal cord being compressed is not normal.

Also, my physiatrist said the usual MRI's are done lying on your back so the pressure is taken off versus you standing, so the discs sound like they are pinching a nerve but maybe pulling away when you lie down.

Makes perfect sense especially if you get relief when you're lying down, my toes still have pain and tingle sometimes though even lying down and walking they get worse and worse.

The physiatriast told me my MRI "doesn't look that bad" huh!!!! I'm in agony!! so we are going through the gambit of massage now, PT again made it worse, and am seeing a chiropractor, I was in agony the day after and spent 1/2 the day in the bath.

I see a neurosurgeon next week and am just going to be frank, I can't live like this.

If I were you I'd change Dr's of you can, keep on going until you find someone to listen to you, this is not in your head!!

I'm rambling but I know how you feel, it's awful and especially when no one seems to be listening.

Can you let me know how things go? hope you are okay today and get some relief