[Pineapple Princess]

My short story is that from a jet skit accident, I had a mild fracture to the L3 in June 2004. I healed since then but never felt 100% since! (low back pain and bilateral leg pain/spasm). But the severe pains/pinches left after the 1st year.. only decreased to mild.

Seems like "all of a sudden" the week before Christmas this year, my low back began severe sharp, shooting pain and extreme spasms from my mid-back down through both legs. It has been exactly 4 weeks and I went through 3 weeks anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers. Absolutely no improvement.

My Dr. ordered my MRI which is confusing. Both he and the radiologist said I had fully recovered from the fracture 2 1/2 yrs ago as far as the bones and disks. But they said whatever I show on the MRI is rare. It reads:
"Findings: The conus medullaris terminates at the inferior L2 level, within the lower limits of normal. There is normal variation in the position of the conus, but positioning inferior to the L2-3 disk is considered abnormal. Additionally, there is a fatty filum terminale which is not thickened. While these may represent incidental findings, clinical correlation as to symptoms of tethered cord is recommended."

I know this is a lot, but is there any way you can help me understand this more? I am to see a neurologist next week, but I am very worried. They seem to think what is going on might be congenital. This confuses me. Can you please help me? I am only 22 and my daily living is awful.

I used to be very active.. karate, sports, you name it. Now I can barely stand to walk around my house, let alone work or go grocery shopping. I am a newlywed of 5 months who is worried about being able to carry my children in the future!!

Just so it is stated... there was not one thing that I did which made this pain return so heavily 4 weeks ago.. not even newlywed things. Unfortunately I hurt too much for anything since the original accident, let alone that. But I was actually seeming like I was getting better right before the Christmas pain. Help!

[mrsD]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conus_medullaris

and here is a comparison of conus with cauda equina:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv...ab.table.10144
You don't seem to have the symptoms for conus.

You will find more info at the neurologist's, and probably have tests to
determine what is going on. Try not to worry too much. This will make the pain worse.

But just so you know, you can just turn funny and pinch something.
I did that many years ago, and both legs just went out on me, and I had
terrible pain. (I had been digging up peony bushes, earlier). And I just turned
to speak to my husband on the right, and bingo. It healed up within a week, the acute part. I stayed flat on my back for 2 days, and very conservative
activities for the rest of the week (no bending, turning). And once it healed up it never came back. I didn't even go to the doctor! (I was young and inexperienced then).

Since then I have had spinal Xrays, which found congenital spina bifida occulta, so I am very careful now how I turn/lift, or dig in the garden!
I also have spondylolisthesis grade 2, but I have no pain with that either. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_r...pcategory=Spin

Many people can have congenital spinal problems. And these can be silent for many as well.

What helped me was immobilization, heat alternated with ice packs, aspirin (Ibuprofen wasn't invented yet), etc. And I never had a recurrance either. It was a one time deal, but my X-rays tell another story!

[Thelma]

Moved but moved to where

[Jomar]

This was also copied to the Spinal forum-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=11313