mri results

i have had alot of lower back pain, and went and had a mri done, the only problem is i dont understand any of it.
it basically says there is a hyperlordosis of the spine. there is a disc desiccation at l5-S1. the conus ends at L1. A broad-based cental disc protrusion/extrusion is noted at L5-S1 indenting on the thecal sac. there is associated generalized bulging disc causing bilateral foraminal narrowing. at L3-4 and L4-5, there is a mild generalized disc bulge. no stenosis.

L1-2 and L2-3 levels are unremarkable

paraspinal soft tissue are inremarkable

is this bad?.. please help me understand what is going on..???

[buriedinfur]

Ok...bear with me, I can translate some of this (I'm a vet tech, which is somewhat laughable given the situation, but medical lingo is all the same pretty much.)

Hyperlordosis is excessive curvature of the spine.

Disk dessication (desiccation) means that the disk is kinda dried out and shriveled up rather than being the happy spongy thing that disks are supposed to be. These disks are between each of your spine bones and cushion them just like the cartilage in your knees and other joints do. If it's all dessicated it's not doing it's job.

The protrusion/extrusion indenting the thecal sac is like a slipped disk. The disk, rather than sitting happily where it is supposed to be, is migrating into the area that the nerves run through and may therefore be compressing some or all of them.

Buldging disks are ones that are thinking of moving into that area, but are kinda sitting there pot bellied for now.

Bilateral foraminal narrowing means that the hole where the spinal cord goes through in that area is narrowed on both sides.

The no stenosis would be a good thing - it means that the spinal cord isn't being compressed at L3-4 and L4-5. Those refer to the lumbar spine and the gaps between bones 3 and 4 and 4 and 5.

That's the best I can do, but hopefully that helps. What this means for you I think is highly individual. Do you speak with your doctor soon?