Hi, I'm new here I had a MRI on my lower back a couple weeks ago, as I was getting lower back pain and numbness along the outside of my left thigh and all my toes on the left apart from the big one was/is also numb.

I saw my GP today and she is referring me to a specialist I think orthopaedic surgeon. This is what was on the report :

The lumbar lordosis is maintained, standard segmentation is presumed.the cord terminates at the T12 returns normal signal. There is multilevel loss of the normal disc signal consistent with disc dehydration.

There are prominent central disc bulges at L2-3 and L3-4 with some loss of disc height but no significant nerve root compression.

At L4-5 there is a loss of disc height and a large central disc protrusion which extends into the left lateral recess causing compression on the forming left L5 nerve, is multilevel degenerative changes in the facet joints.

My GP doesn't think injections will help, any help, thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks Adi

Hi ~ I'm not a fan of the injections. So many times they don't work, and they're not good for the body anyway. They MIGHT work for you -- but then again, they might not. But if you try them and the first one DOESN'T work, do NOT let them try any more! The 2nd one won't work either if the first one doesn't -- and you can count on that. The do NOT build up in your system, like some doctors like to tell you. They just want the $1,800 to $2,800 they get for doing these injections!

I wish you the very best! Take care & God bless. Hugs, Lee

Hi Leesa,
Thanks for taking the time to reply, I have a couple questions if your able to answer ? First if surgery is recommended is it Likely to help , second if I do nothing will the disc's repair themselves? I have a physical job at the moment actually working can be painful I trim horses feet ! But if they behave I seem to cope ok, my problems come trying to walk any distance I have two dogs that need to be walked daily I have found that I am unable to do that now so I am taking them out on a bike I ride they run beside so far this is working and they are enjoying it. If I do too much work in any one day I am unable to work the next day I am self employed so this an be worked around I just don't know what to do for the best will my back get worse anyway no matter what I do ?

Chicken, I will say that personally, I have facet joint arthritis and a disc that was "abutting" my S1 nerve root but they didn't feel it was really putting any pressure on it. I had a lot of pain when walking, and severe pain in the front of my thigh and in my heel, so the pain management doc decided to do a cortisone injection (I don't know if it was in a joint or an epidural, honestly). That was in March - for the day I got the injection I could not walk, I was in so much pain. The next day was the first pain free day I had in 6 months. I am just now starting to have a twinge of the same pain here or there, but I was not able to put my own pants on most morning because of my pain. I cannot say enough good things about the injections. They definitely got me moving again to where I could do PT which I also think helps with the pain. Whatever you decide to do, good luck! I ride horses, so I have the utmost respect for people who stand under them all day - I couldn't do it! =)

Hi Chicken ~ Surgery should ALWAYS be a LAST RESORT after all conservative methods have been exhausted. You see, surgery is ONLY for mechanical problems. It is NOT for pain. Usually after surgery, you are left with the same pain or worse. Then there is the problem of the "Domino Effect" which the doctors don't tell us about. That is where the levels above/below the surgery site FAIL. It fails because it has to take on more of the load. Then that means more surgery. And after you have THAT site repaired, the levels above/below THAT site fail meaning more surgery, etc. etc. etc. It's a vicious circle.

Personally, I'd ask my doctor to refer me to Physical Therapy -- that, very often can help with problems such as this. While seldom does a disc repair itself, it has been heard of. But physical therapy, especially POOL THERAPY is very beneficial for spine injuries like this. So ask your doc for a referral. The exercises they give you are very important too -- they're gentle but effective.

Walking is usually one of the BEST exercises we can do! If it causes you pain, don't do it. I would think that bike riding wouldn't be good for you, due to the bouncing of the bike. That can cause problems -- but if you don't have any pain, I guess it's ok. I'd be very careful tho.

Keep us posted, and let me know about the phyical therapy, okay? Hugs, Lee

Hi Leesa & silverfae
Thanks for replying, and thank you for your advise, the bike riding may not be helping as I'm not so good today, should prob think these things through more l anyway I will talk to my GP and see what she can do, and ill be back to keep you updated.
I should have thought the name chicken through a bit more too one of my dogs is called chicken , my name is Adi , take care xx