I was given this diagnosis after my MRI last week, yet I need someone to explain it in plain sensible English!
1. L4-5 small broad based protrusion without significant canal or neural trauma stenosis
2. Marked disc degenerative changes at L5-S1 with mild bilateral neuroforamina narrowing but no significant canal stenosis.

Does this mean I have a bugling disc? What does it all mean for me in a practical sense? Do I stop all jogging, impact activites, all yoga? Help! I'm a fitness Instructor by trade so this could be a life-altering diagnosis. My doctor is not very talkative and I have to pull everything outta him.

Ok ~ At L4-5 they call it a small protrusion ~ to protrude means to "jut out" so I have to assume it's a herniation. I wish they would just CALL it a herniation and let it go at that!! The rest of that stuff means that it didn't mess with anything else by herniating

L5-S1 - you have degenerative disc disease - All that is is drying out of the discs. Everyone gets that as they age, only some of us get it earlier than others, and some of us get PAIN with it. Also, on both sides, you have foraminal narrowing. The foramen is the hole that the nerves pass thru to get to the spinal cord. Also there's no significant spinal canal narrowing.

What you should & shouldn't do depends on how much PAIN you're in. Walking is great for spinal problems. I'm not so sure I'd be jogging right now. Impact activities might be iffy too, but again that depends on your pain. Yoga is good, especially the stretches.

If you had this MRI due to pain, I think I'd cut back on the jogging/impact activities . Continue with the stretches/Yoga and ask the doc about going to physical therapy or ask what exercises you should be doing to reduce your pain.

Best of luck and i hope this heals up quickly for you. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Hi,
I am not sure about your MRI but if you are a fitness instructor, and you are having back trouble, you may want to check the egoscue technique for realigning. especially if you have pain more on one side. I was pain free for 10 years with it, and super active, running uphill ect...I am 50 and now I am doing egoscue, yoga for scoliosis by miller and treat your own back by mc kensies. I have three bulging disk, from doing too much too long..
I have sciatica and neck pain, but saying that I have greatly improved my neck with egoscue, treat your own neck by robin mckensies, I have now being in pain for 7 month, but I started a regiment of core strenghtening, if you can do the plank for 3 minutes or the camel, then your core is good, if less ,then it might be why you are starting to get back pain. My core was very poor, (started 2 weeks ago) and I am just reaching the one minute barre with a lot of trouble.. so i don't know if that is going to work, will see anyway good luck.
virginie