Help Please
 

I had a MRI done and got the results today. Can someone please tell me what this means.

1. Mild to moderate degenerative disc and endplate and
facet joint changes at L5- S1 with 1 cm. paracentral disc protrusion
with impingement of the left descending S1 nerve root at the level of
L5-S1. Small synovial cyst off the left facet joint also noted at
this level, which contributes to nerve root impingement at this
level.

Grammy,

What it is basically saying is that your facets are probably arthritic and you have some narrowing; probably stenosis. You have a bit of a disc bulge but it appears there is impingement at the L5/S1 level. Sooo...either facet joint nerve blocks or a selective nerve root injection would probably help with the pain. But there are also meds. For myself, I get the injections since they are diagnostic AND therapeutic. Overall, your nerves (medial branch as well as the L5/S1) are irritated/impinged. I don't think it is a surgery deal at all. But I know the pain can be very bad with the impingement going on as well as the facets.