L4/5 and L5/S1 Problems

[smithaussie]

My husband had a CT - Lumbosacral Spine, done today.  He has had back pain for years and the report said as follows :

L4/5, mild to moderate disc space narrowing.  Mild broad based posterior protusion which is associated with the indentation and posterior displacement of the adjacent thecal sac.

L5/S1, moderate disc space narrowing with a slight retrolisthesis of L5 and S1.  Moderate to large central posterior disc prolapse associated with localised indentation and posterior displacement of the adjacent thecal sac.

We don't see the Dr for a while yet and I don't understand any of that ??  He was told by his GP a few years back he may have to have surgery.  Is that what all of that means.

Any info on this would be a great help in getting us through the next week or so.

[Neil828]

I had a L4/5 disc protrusion/herniation last August and subsequently had an operation.
After the operation I still feel the pain and numbness along my left buttocks radiating down to the legs.
I've been with physio's for the last two weeks but could not see any change. The pain is persistent. What do  do to get thediscs in order and relief this pain?

Petrus Atep
PNG

[flopu]

At the levels of the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae and the 1st sacral vertebra (L4,L5,S1) there are some problems. The space for the disc, that exists between the vertebrae, is narrowed. There are discs between all the vertebrae (bones) of the spine. These discs act as shock absorbers. In your husband the available space for these discs is reduced. This is not uncommon. As a result, at the level of L4/L5, the disc bulges a bit, in a posterior (backward) direction. This has the effect of pushing the nerve roots backwards a bit too.

At the level of L5/S1 there is a similar problem with reduced space for the disc. In addition the position of the L5 vertebra (bone) is slightly more backward than the S1 bone (retrolisthesis). The disc is also bulging in a backwards direction, which pushes on the nerves at this level too.

When discs push on nerves like that it is common to have low back pain and or leg pain.