Can anyone help with MRI findings?

[backtomyselfoneday]

Hey folks. Ok, I will try to make this quick. 28 year old in good general health. I'm active and do stretches for my lower back.
About 4 years ago I hurt my back at the gym, using an ab machine- forward motion/weight.
I've tried PT, chiropractors, epidural shots, a list of muscle relaxers, NSAIDs, etc. The doctors basically said you're too young for surgery, and more or less deal with it. I was popping vicodin like candy, but that barely helps. 4 years is enough already!
I am going to see a pain management Dr to see what options I have.
Can anyone help me to interpret what my MRI means?!
There is a disk herniation at the superior endplate of L1, with sclerosis at the superior endplate.
T12-L1: Disk herniation in L1 with posterior disk bulging and patent bilateral neural foramina.
L3-4: broad based disk bulging seen with minimal facet arthrosis. Inferior neural foraminal narrowing is seen.
L4-5:Posterior disk bulging with minimal inferior neural foraminal narrowing.
L5-S1: Disk bulging with indentation of the anterior thecal sac with facet arthrosis and mild left neural foraminal narrowing.
Please help clarify for me! Thank you!!

[helenlegs11]

You really need a new MRI, as you say anything could be going on now. Any disc bulges could have since prolapsed and now be impinging on nerves, causing your pain, but the only way you will find out is a scan.
If you do have butt pain and discomfort when sitting look at piriformis syndrome as well as back and disc problems. A prolapsed disc is the most likely cause but there could be more than 1 problem.i.e disc AND piriformis.

Good luck.
Helen

[backtomyselfoneday]

Thanks guys. The biggest thing for me in the constant pain. I do have some buTt and leg pain, but I can deal with that part.
I can't sit for more than a few minutes, or drive for that matter. This MRI is 3 years old too, so I'm not sure if anything else is going on now. The Dr mentioned DDD back then, and I've just been coping with it.
I'm sure you can all relate to this, its like having an awful toothache in your back, and just can't get comfortable!
Laying down flat used to help some, but now even that in painful. The pain goes up toward the middle of my back too.
The other thing is that its a constant ache, but some days I have pain so bad I have to stay in bed.
I hope this clears it up some and thanks to you all!

[helenlegs11]

Do you have sciatica, back pain or both? Episodic or constant? Asking same questions as above really, what are your symptoms?
Take care,
H

[squirtatious]

There is usually a summary at the end of the mri. What was urs? It wasn't listed here

[squirtatious]

You have sum disc bulges and foraminal stenosis which doesn't seem to impact anything important. I'm no dr, so this is just my raw opinion. I agree with kalvin and would inquire as to what symptoms u are presenting with. Take care:)

[Kalvin]

There's nothing on your MRI that looks horribly bad, tell us what your symptoms are and then we can try to correlate them to your MRI findings.