Originally Posted by ElaineD

Dear Eva,

Oh dear dear me. You are having the back problems of my worst nightmares.

I am 74, and have avoided back problems, until now. tho' I have more than my share of other problems.

I will have to look up your surgeries.

I just don't know what to do, from all I've read having the cyst aspirated doesn't do much good and you have to go back and have it surgically removed.

That is the word that scares me "surgically removed".

This is what my spine looks like on the MRI:

Findings:
The vertebral body heights are well-maintained. Small Schmorl's node of the
opposing L2 and L3 endplates. The bone marrow signal is normal, with mild
degeneraPve endplate changes.
Minor grade 1 anterolisthesis of L3 on L4 and L4 on L5. The lumbar lordosis
is otherwise well-maintained.
The conus terminates at the level of the superior L1 endplate. The conus
terminalis and cauda equina are of normal signal characterisPcs.
T12-L1: Small disc bulge without significant central canal or neural
foraminal narrowing.
The L1-L2 level is seen only on the sagital images; no posterior disc
bulge, canal narrowing, or foraminal narrowing at these levels.
L2-L3: Minor disc bulge, facet hypertrophy, and ligamentum flavum
infolding. Moderate narrowing of the central canal. Minor narrowing of the
bilateral neural foramen.
L3-L4: Small disc bulge with facet hypertrophy and ligamentum flavum
infolding. Marked narrowing of the central canal. Minor narrowing of the
bilateral neural foramen. A left sided facet effusion is associated with a
12 x 9 mm synovial cyst extending into the dorsal aspect of the spinal
canal (axial T2 series 4 image 18) at the level of the L4 vertebral body;
this mildly effaces the dorsal thecal sac.
L4-L5: Small disc bulge with facet hypertrophy greater than ligamentum
flavum infolding. Mild narrowing of the central canal and bilateral neural
foramen.
L5-S1: Small disc bulge with facet arthropathy. No significant narrowing of
the central canal. Very minor narrowing of the neural foramen.
Visualized SI joints: Normal.
Visualized so` Pssues: Trace asymmetric atrophy of the right paraspinal
muscles.

I cannot walk at all now, with the pressure of the cyst on my spinal canal.

OH, my Cervical spine has places where both nerve and muscle are unresponsive (dead), and is generally a mess. But I can live with that pain.

I thought someone would be able to help, but I guess not.

Regards, Miamax