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english version of mri results, please

hi, over the past 15 yrs i have had 5 car accidents and have worked mostly warehouse and grocery store jobs all my life.  my last accident was 3/11/07.  i have not been able to work since may/07.  i have had mri's done and don't understand what the results mean and why i am still in pain and if the findings would need surgery or not.  1 mri shows narrowing of L5/S1 disc intraspace and thickening in the posterior paravertebral ligament and bulging annulus at L4/L5 and L5/S1.  no evidence of disc herniation or spinal stenosis.  a 1cm x 1cm cyst located on S2.  the cyst is benign and shows no definite enhancement and no erosion involving the bones.  S1 joint are within normal and nerve roots appear unremarkable. that mri was done 8/07.  
   another mri on 11/29/08 shows the following:
technique: T1 and T2 sagittal and axial was obtained as well as fat-saturated sagittal T2.
findings: the signal intensity of vertebral bodies is normal.  alignment is preserved and the conus is intact.
the AP diameterof canal at T12/L1, L2/L3 is unremarkable.
L3-4 shows bulging, no evidence of central stenosis and no desiccation.  
L4-5 show bulging disc with mild facet hypertrophy noted, resulting in minimal foraminal narrowing, no central canal stenosis.
L5/S1 shows broad-based bulging with more left paracentral and foraminal extension.  also some facet hypertrophy noted on the left side with left foraminal narrowing.  no central canal stenosis.
impression:
1. broad-based bulging with left foraminal extension L4 - S1, with facet hypertrophy resulting in left foraminal narrowing.  no central canal stenosis.
2. bilateral facet hypertrophy with foraminal narrowing L4/L5 and evidence of bulging L3/L4 with foraminal extension.  no central canal stenosis.
3. no malalignment or compression over the conus.
i wish someone can tell me if the above would involve surgical procedures to fix it.  and try to explain why i am still in pain.  i am currently taking darvocet, neurontin, amitrip-cdp (for anxiety), soma, and hyomax-sl (for ibs).  thank you.  sorry this is so long but, i am tired of being in pain everyday.
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Avatar universal
hi, thanks for response.  have seen neuro-surgeon and he said there was nothing he could do and recommended pain management.  i was already at pain mgmt and they said there was nothing they could do.  i have had shots in low back and they wore off before i got out of his office.  it was recommended to me that there is a spine treatment center opening up near me.  i will be calling them soon.  i also have fibro and tremors.  just something else to deal with.
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Avatar universal
You have two bulging discs in your lower back, The foramina is the hole in the bones where the nerves exit the spinal cord. This is probably what is causing your pain. Have you tried PT? Or injections> Also alternating heat and ice sometimes helps. You should take these reports to a neuro-surgeon for review, but don't jump into surgery too soon. Sometimes the body can heal by itself.
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