Let me see if I can help:

At L4-5 and L5-S1 your discs are "closer together" and they are drying out. The Schmorl's node is a protrusion of an elastic pulpy mass in the center of each vertebra, it protrudes into the part of the bone made up of spongy bone.

At L1-2, L2-3, and L3-4 you have disc bulges with NO herniation.

At L4-5 you have a disc bulge with disc protrusion. The protrusion causes a deformity of the thecal sac which is a membrane of dura matter that surrounds the spinal cord. The thecal sac is filled with cerebral spinal fluid.
There are degenerative facet changes - the facets are those "wing-like" things that stick out on your spine on both sides, going down your back. Mild thickening of the ligamentum flava (series of ligaments of yellow elastic tissue connecting the laminae of adjacent vertebra from the axis to the sacrum) are causing mild to moderate foraminal narrowing & canal stenosis. Foraminal narrowing-- that's the hole where the nerves pass thru to the spinal cord. Canal stenosis -- that's where the spinal canal narrows.

At L5-S1 there is a disc bulge with central protrusion. The changes cause right foraminal narrowing and mild to moderate left foraminal narrowing. The protruded disc causes anterior deformity of the thecal sac and contacts the right S1 nerve root displacing it. (ouch!)


I hope this made SOME sense. If you have any more questions, let me know. God bless. Hugs, Lee