Back Pain

I hurt my back in 1999 while wrestling.  An MRI revealed the following:

Findings: There is a central and left-sided broad based disc protrusion at L4-5.  There is a moderate central and left-sided canal narrowing,left lateral recess stenois inferior o the disc space and probable compression of the L5 nerve root. There is moderate facet degeneration at the same level, further narrowing the canal.

At L5-S-1 there is a diffuse disc bulge with facet degeneration. No significant central or foraminal narrowing seen. Minimal degenerative change seen at L1-2, L2-3, and L3-4.

Impression: Broad based central and left-sided disc protusion at L4-5. Mid moderate to moderate severe central and left-sided canal narrowing. Probable compression of the left L5 root as it enters the lateral recess inferior to the disc space.

Doc,
When I hurt my back, I had really bad pain. After about one year, the pain subsided. Based upon what the MRI report stated, can my condition self heal? Although I am not in pain, sometimes I wake up with a stiff back which relaxes after several hours.

Thanks

[star queen]

Your back will not heal itself. L-4/5 is short for lumbar spine segment.  You have 7 segments, the higher the number, the lower in the spinal cord it occurs.  L4/5 is at the small of the back. Degenerative changes mean normal wear and tear of the bone for your age.  The canal means the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are.  Stenosis means a narrowing of the spinal canal, or just the one nerve (root) from the spinal canal to that spinal segment is being compressed. Disc protrusion means that your disc is being compressed to the point the disc is being squashed out.  Kind of like a double stuff cookie that you press together until the center is being pressed out. It will not get better without surgical intervention.  Over time the bones will meet and possibly fuse together.  The process is a long and painful one.  The usual surgery puts in a metal bar to stabilize the spine.  There is a newer surgery that replaces the disc with a spacer that is similiar to the disc.  If you can find an ortho in your area that does it, I suggest this one.