Quote:
Originally Posted by injuredat34
First off I want to say that I am so glad I found this forum! Thanks to Alffe for pointing me here to the right place 
I injured my back last month and have been having horrible pain and numbness. My doctor ordered a MRI and I got the report back but I just can't understand it. It looks like it might be pretty serious but I am not sure can any one please help me I am very scared.
Here is what the MRI report said.
Findings:
The caudal most lumbar type vertebra is labeled L5.
Vertebral body heights, alignment and marrow signal are normal. Degenerative discogenic changes are noted at the L5-S1 level.The conus terminates at the L1 level. The cauda equina is normal in morphology. The paraspinal muscles are symmetric.
L1-L2: No disc herniation,neural forminal stenosis or spinal stenosis.
L2-L3: No disc herniation,neural forminal stenosis or spinal stenosis.
L3-L4: No disc herniation,neural forminal stenosis or spinal stenosis.
L4-L5: Note is made of concentric annular bulge without significant neural formanil or spinal stenosis.
L5-S1: Note is made of a broad-based central disc protrusion causing moderate left and mild right subarticular stenosis. Disc protrusion contacts the descending left S1 nerve root. Neural formina are patent. No significant central spinal stenosis.
IMPRESSION:
1. Central disc protrusion at the L5-S1 level causing moderate left subarticular stenosis. Disc protrusion contacts the descending left S1 nerve root.
Thank you! |
First let me tell you I have had much experience with herniated discs , on 3 separate occasions in 1975, 1983, and again in 2006. 2 out of the 3 times I healed on my own, and had surgery for the one in 1983 because I was Teaching and couldn't deal with the pain when trying to teach. You have a "slight" herniation of a lumbar disc, with some "stenosis" which is nothing more than a "narrowed opening" at the spine where the sciatic nerve emerges and goes into the leg. It is one of the longest nerves in the body, and when you have a "herniation" of a disc, the outer sheath of the disc is weakened and allows the inner portion to slip out, and this in turn puts pressure on the nerve root at the spinal area, but in so doing, the sciatic nerve carries the pain all the way down to your toes, if it's real bad, but it looks to me that with "aspirin", if your stomach can tolerate it, will be enough to relieve the problem, and it will heal on its own given a few months of proper sitting, and sleeping positions. You dont need surgery, only rest, aspirin for pain, and a "straight-back" rocker to sit on. You can take 2 aspirin every 4 hrs as needed without doing you any harm, and it will ease the pain. One thing for sure is that it will take about 2-4 mos to get back to normal, but don't rush into "surgery", as I doubt very much that you need it.