[mylou]

Hi all I am so glad I have found this place, I am also so sad to see so many in pain, I no I am not alone. Not sure if this is right place to post or not but here I go.

Cervical C 3/4 4/5 5/6 flattening cord two spots, mild spondylosis

Thoracic T 4/5 6/7 7/8 8/9 9/10 extrusions, protrusions, ventral cord flattening cord L/R

Lumbar L 3/4 4/5 s1 all bulging, osteophytes, schmorl’s nodes

OK that’s about it, I think. I am 41 small framed lady with four young one’s. I am in pain pretty much 24 7 and getting know kind of help from any of the doctors I see. I just got the MRI of the T spine and I have been reading and reading and I can not find any info on that area, or at least any info that I can understand. So can any of you tell me if that is just normal for my age or not?

[printerhead]

Hi Mylou,
I am not a doctor, but have seen enough MRI results of my own to think that isn't normal. What helped me was to google each specific term they use, and add the appropriate area ie: t 6/7 for example, and research it that way. The protrusions and cord flattening are sure signs of why you are in pain. I am surprised how much of your spine is involved though. I had great success with my surgery, where they removed 2 discs (c 5/6 and 6/7) and replaced them with titanium cages and a plate with screws. I am pain free and have been since about 6 weeks after my surgery. Feel free to contact me if you need to.

Be Well!
Dave
hansmathias8@hotmail.com

[Jomar]

I think anywhere that it says cord flatteningmeans the spinal cord is being affected = pain & symptoms.

Some MRI reports will say how much or what degree of flattening.
like mild, moderate, severe or even a % amount or measurement.

Since it isn't stated in the report - I'd ask the Drs - about that...
and you can even get a copy of your own MRI - sometimes on a CD or copies of the films.
Kind of nice to have for your own info.
when you see your pictures and compare to Images of MRIs posted on the computer, it really helps.

Schmorl's Nodes
http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/09/19/16.html

[mylou]

Thanks so much for your replay. I was beginning to think no one was going to replay. Believe me I am just as surprised at how much crap is going on in my spine. I had hurt my back when I was in the Army at the L 3/4 4/5 level. I had surgery almost 15 years ago and things were great did not have any prob’s in the other parts. I had a lot of pain in the middle of my back when each one of my kids were at that stage where I had to carry them in my arms, ya no when you carry them on your hips. I always thought it was because all of my kids were so heavy. After they were all walking I did not have much pain any more. When my youngest was four I went back to school to get my nursing degree. I only had about two months left before I would have my LPN and it started in and never let up again. I think it was the three weeks of patients who were over 300lbs who could not walk or move much. Me being 5 foot 2 and about 140lbs did not help. It has been a year and it has been so horrible. I really have to fight the depression big time. There is such a stigmatism when it comes to people with back pain. What I don’t understand is I am in such pain but my doctor seems to think I am just fine, like its normal for a 41 year old to have a back like this. It hurts to raise my arms up above my waist, it hurts to walk, sit. Seems it just hurts to live and that is something that I have to get use to.