Thread: MRI findings
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Old 10-21-2010, 08:11 PM
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Leesa Leesa is offline
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Leesa Leesa is offline
Senior Member
Leesa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,424
10 yr Member
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Hi ~ Degenerative Disc Disease is just the "drying out" of discs. That's all it is. When the discs dry out, they tend to kind of smash down, and you lose disc height ~ sometimes the discs bulge and/or herniate. Not all people with bulges or herniations have pain ~ most people in the world right now are walking around with herniated discs but they don't even know it!! That's cause the discs aren't pushing on any nerves. It's just us unfortunate folks that have discs pushing on nerves that have the pain.

Foraminal narrowing ~ The foramen is the hole that the nerves go thru to get to the spinal cord & vice/versa. So that "hole" is narrowed.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is NOT a disc bulge. Disc dessication is the same as DDD - it's drying out of the discs.

When they said you have a loss of disc height, it means that the 2 vertebra are closer together because the discs (spongy stuff between the vertebra) have dried out and smashed, so that makes the bones (vertebra) also kind of smash down or get closer together. In other words, you shrink a little.

I hope I've answered your questions. Or else i've confused you totally! Let me know if you have any more questions. God bless. Hugs, Lee
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recovering alcoholic, sober since 7-29-93;severe depression; 2 open spinal surgeries; severe sciatica since 1986; epidurals; trigger points; myelograms; Rhizotomy; Racz procedure; spinal cord stimulator implant (and later removal); morphine pump trial (didn't work);now inoperable; lumpectomy; radiation; breast cancer survivor; heart attack; fibromyalgia; on disability.



Often the test of courage is not to die, but to live..
.................................................. ...............Orestes
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