thoracic and lumbar mri questions

i just received mri results for my thoracic and lumbar spine.

thoracic states disc desiccation at t6-t7 and t7-t8, also focal central disc protrusion seen at t6-t7 and t7-t7.

lumbar states at l4-l5 small central disc protrusion with faint annular tearing and mild central canal narrowing. minimal right foraminal narrowing. minor right facet arthrosis.

l5-s1 states moderate size protrusion centrally and right paracentral region does contact and posteriorly displace the right s1 nerve root in the lateral recess. annular tearing evident minimal right foraminal narrowing, mild central canal narrowing.

my question is, is this normal for a 33 year old female. and is any of this serious?

[Kalvin]

It's a life changer alright, a dramatic one, especially if you've never been seriously sick before. Lot of mental stuff that goes along with it as well.

Being that this is an acute problem and not something you've been dealing with for years, there's a good chance that the injections and therapy might help.

When I had my back surgery it was the result of a bad fall and they sent me right to a Surgeon. He pretty much told me that I had to have surgery, but to keep the Insurance Co, happy we had to try therapy and medications first. I could hardly walk so the therapy was torture, despite the large amount of narcotics I was on. I think this delay cause some permanent nerve damage. 30 days later I had the surgery; it took 8 months of rehab to get back to 80%.

I got several good years out of the operation, then I started having neck problems, but that’s a another story. About year and a half ago I had a really bad episode, it was from work. Horrible pain down the leg, and my leg and thigh muscles would work right, I couldn't stand up straight, had to go to the Emergency Room in the middle of the night, I didn't have anything strong enough to touch the pain. I was like, here we go again, and I was really scared. I ended up going to a Chiropractor that my Cousin uses, he did X-rays, and they looked awful. He said he thought he could help me, and I saw him 2 or 3x a week for awhile and it actually helped. I mean I was in bad shape. So things can get better, I assure you.

As far as the frustration, you just have to try and keep positive, try not to let it get you too down. if you’re under medicated, your going to be spending a lot of time wishing the pain would stop or at least lessen, if your over medicated you’re not going to be that aware of what’s going on to begin with.

Seriously though, if you need to complain, complain, it’s good to get out.

Take care,

[Kalvin]

This is to everyone:

When you post these MRI's and X-ray reports, you really need to write a little bit your pain and symptoms, because 1/2 to 3/4 of the stuff in these reports is age related and does not cause symptoms.

There are particular areas of the spine that cause specific problems, so when you go to the Doctor and say you have sciatic on the left side, The Doctor looks for problems in area of the spine that causes sciatic on the left side, he/she doesn't worry about all the rest of the stuff in the report, unless its something very serious. Understand what I'm saying?

[liss2876]

I understand what you are saying, sorry I just joined wasnt real sure how the site worked. I have pain every day all day it can vary, there are days my pain level is only a 4 or a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, there are days that it is a 10 and I can barely dress myself. I have pain in my lower back constantly that goes down my leg and causes numbness and gets worse with any activity. I have pain in the middle of my back that runs around to the front and cause me to have chest pains and shortness of breath. I am limited in activities due to my pain and it gets very frustrating. I was just looking for some advice from anyone that has experienced this or knows a little more about it than i do. thank you.

[Kalvin]

You don't have apologize, it just impossible to be of any help to you with out knowing what you're going through. People have disc bulges that don't cause any symptoms.

Your MRI  correlates to the pain you're having, T6/7 is  the mid-back area where you'd get that wrap around back/chest pain.I know that's awful, I've got some of that going on myself.

And the L5/S1 stuff you have going on would cause the pain down the leg and numbness, its the right leg, right? I feel for you, I've been through this.

To answer your original question, no this is not normal for a 33 year old, I had back surgery when I was around that age, but I was in an accident. Where you in an accident, or do you have a physical job, how long have you been dealing with this, this has to have progressed over time?

What are your Doctor's telling you, are they sending you to therapy, injections?

[liss2876]

Thank you for the help. I was in an accident when I was fourteen, never really had many issues from it except my neck and hip.

I actually worked sitting at a desk for many years and just recently had to switch jobs to a more physical work environment. I was lifting something very heavy at work and felt a pop and pain going down my leg. So they sent me to a doctor. After seeing a few they finally ordered the MRI's to see what was going on since I was not feeling better. And you seen the results.

The doctor I am currently seeing is doing epidural injections for lower back and I haven't spoke with him yet about thoracic area. He has mentioned therapy after the injections.

This is all a real pain....I hate complaining to people or at least feeling like I am complaining because I am always in pain. I am not someone that likes to just sit around and this has changed my life. I can't just get up and go do things that I would normally do. How did you deal with the frustration?

[jayeye]

Hi guys i'm a 30 year old male I’ve been a member of this site for a long time now for various reasons.  I’m gonna make this as brief as possible and any input would be greatly appreciated.  I know these forums are filled with great people.

I have always been in chronic pain and always in poor health since childhood.  It all started with lymes disease when I was 13.  Got it again when I was 18, after that I always had mild aches and pains and general fatigue.  Anyway when I was about 26 things turned for the worst.  I was experiencing lower back neck and should pain.  My legs and arms would feel weak with almost soreness.  I went to doctor to doctor getting all kinds of crazy onions from depression to fibromyalgia.  I was finally able to get an MRI after years of trying from a new doctor so anyway here are my results

L1- 2 there is a focal central small disc herniation impressing the anterior thecal sac with some caudad migration with a developmentally small spinal canal, also a schmorls node along the superior posterior of L@.  Mild relative decreased spinal stenosis

L2-3mild bulging of the annulus with no disc hrniation.  Mild degree of relative stenosis small canal

L4-5 right lateral disc herniation extending into the inferior neural foramen.  Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy

L5-S1 diffuse bulging of the annulus.. Some shortening of the anterior aspect of the L5 vertebral body this may be a normal variant or secondary to remote trauma

IMPRESSION:  right lateral disc ernaiation at l4-5 extending into the inferior aspect of the neural foramen causing no enorachment on the nerve root.  Small central disc herniation at L1-2 with caudad migration of the disc material associated with an L2 posterior superior schmorls node.  this mildy impresses the anterior thecal sac.  Has developmentally small spinal canal.  this together with disc bulges results in multilevel spinal stenosis mild at l1-2 3 l3-4
fatty filum
Shortening of the anterior superior aspect of l5 with normal marrow

I kinda get what spinal stenosis is.  From what I understand of it i’m pretty screwed and its only gonna get worst but whats the rest of it mean.  Im i in bad shape cause boy do i feel it.  I have to push myself everyday to go to work please help shed some light on my devastating news

[Kalvin]

It's a life changer alright, a dramatic one, especially if you've never been seriously sick before. Lot of mental stuff that goes along with it as well.

Being that this is an acute problem and not something you've been dealing with for years, there's a good chance that the injections and therapy might help.

When I had my back surgery it was the result of a bad fall and they sent me right to a Surgeon. He pretty much told me that I had to have surgery, but to keep the Insurance Co, happy we had to try therapy and medications first. I could hardly walk so the therapy was torture, despite the large amount of narcotics I was on. I think this delay cause some permanent nerve damage. 30 days later I had the surgery; it took 8 months of rehab to get back to 80%.

I got several good years out of the operation, then I started having neck problems, but that’s a another story. About year and a half ago I had a really bad episode, it was from work. Horrible pain down the leg, and my leg and thigh muscles would work right, I couldn't stand up straight, had to go to the Emergency Room in the middle of the night, I didn't have anything strong enough to touch the pain. I was like, here we go again, and I was really scared. I ended up going to a Chiropractor that my Cousin uses, he did X-rays, and they looked awful. He said he thought he could help me, and I saw him 2 or 3x a week for awhile and it actually helped. I mean I was in bad shape. So things can get better, I assure you.

As far as the frustration, you just have to try and keep positive, try not to let it get you too down. if you’re under medicated, your going to be spending a lot of time wishing the pain would stop or at least lessen, if your over medicated you’re not going to be that aware of what’s going on to begin with.

Seriously though, if you need to complain, complain, it’s good to get out.

Take care,

[liss2876]

thank you so much for the input. i am doing my best at staying positive and hopefully some of the different things they are trying are going to start working. I wish you the best and hope your back pain stays under control.