Narrative
EXAMINATION MRI LUMBAR SPINE

CLINICAL HISTORY Low back pain

COMPARISONS None available.

FINDINGS Multiplanar multi-sequence images of the lumbar spine were
obtained without contrast.

Vertebral alignment is maintained. A body heights are normal. Bodies
demonstrate a normal signal intensity. Disk spaces are maintained in
height and demonstrate a normal signal intensity. No intradural
lesions are identified. Conus medullaris is normal in appearance.
Note is made of a round area of bright signal intensity on T1 and T2
weighted images involving the body of L1 most consistent with a
hemangioma.

On axial images no significant abnormalities at the T12 L1, L1-2 or
L2-3 level is seen.

At L3-4 level minimal annular bulging is noted. No other significant
abnormalities identified.

At L4-5 level mild annular bulge is noted. No other significant
abnormalities identified.

At L5-S1 level no significant abnormalities are seen.

IMPRESSION MINIMAL ANNULAR BULGING AT L3-4 AND MILD ANNULAR BULGE AT
L4-5 LEVEL IS NOTED. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT ABNORMALITIES ARE SEEN.

If you describe your pain & symptoms we might be better able to help more.

The pain is through out the lower back goes into the buttocks down my legs. I can not walk or sand long before the back pain starts it is hard to explain it hurts like h^ll. The buttocks pain feels sometimes like a burning pain and sometimes stabbing . Down into the legs they cramp really bad burn feel like sharp needles and my feet get muscle spasms and go numb or sharp pains through them. the pan gets unbearable especially if I walk, sit or lay too long and trying to sleep is not much fun either the pain will wake me out of a dead sleep. I hope this helps you understand the pain.

I have bulges in my back but the doctors I saw said it wasn't anything that would cause pain. I see the word "Normal" and "no significant...."

I hope your doctor doesn't say "There's nothing wrong". Those are words that people in pain don't want to hear.

What did your doctor say about it or has he/she not seen the results?

Hope u feel better!
Heather

Thank you he never said much of anything actually that is why I was hoping someone on here could help explain what this all meant.

Hello, I'm also a new member about to have a surgery in my spine, the 27th. For what I read in your MRI report you don't have a big bulging disc and for what I researched and talked to different doctors, the pain many times is not proportional with the size of the bulging disc. It can be big and cause mild pain or can be medium size and cause more pain. Mine in the scale 1-10 was never more than 6-7 with only ibuprofen. For what you said in your replies your disc is pinching a nerve, probably de sciatic nerve causing you pain in your leg, gluteus and foot. It seems you haven't seen the doctor yet with your MRI results. In my case, I got an opinion from a neurosurgeon after one month of being treated by my chiropractor, who is good, but twice a week treatment is not enough (I couldn't drive) plus being alone at home the relief was slow. So those factors weren't helping. I had a 7.8mm bulging disc in L5-S1 with sciatic nerve affected. Referred by my chiropractor I went for a consultation at BASIC (Brain and spine Institute). The doctor recommended epidural shot, I didn't want it cause the side effects and risks or surgery. I said my treatment was short so they offered me a more intensive treatment with a decompression machine, massages and physical therapy. I had other MRI later and showed 1 mm decrease. I'm going to have surgery because I'm not getting better. I'm not a pro surgery person. I think is the last option. Only 10 % of the people with bulging or herniated discs have a surgery, the rest can resolve the problem with treatment. I know people who didn't need a surgery, depends also in the location of the bulging disc. So, be careful, try to go to recommended doctors, chiropractors.. I also know someone who did acupuncture and physiotherapy with good results. Last year a very good chiropractor helped me with other injury and my back was good for a long time. I had a fall later that caused me this injury. I'm having a costly surgery but unique in the world, non traumatic discectomy, is the less invasive. They don't work with insurances but I have out of network coverage. Spine issues are serious when it comes to surgery. You need to do a lot of research. Good luck!!

Good Luck on your surgery hope it works and you recover quickly.

Hi Skooter57,

Mariback63 is correct. Size does not equal pain level in many cases. You can have a pinched nerve with a small problem that happens to impinge upon a nerve and you can have a large problem that does not impinge upon nerves.

It does sound like your sciatic nerve is being pinched from the symptoms you describe. The good news is that sometimes it will resolve on its own in a relatively short time. Spinal issues may also resolve on their own sometimes. I would seek conservative treatments and pain relief methods and see how that goes first. If you have no relief, then you should seek additional help.

Hope your issue is just temporary and you can find relief. Do seek treatment because something temporary can turn into something permanent if left undiagnosed and untreated. Wishing you well. MRI's do not always tell the whole story. Your pain is real whether it shows up on an MRI or whether the impingement is not visible.