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Avatar universal

common or not common

I'm a 48 year old male, I've done physical work for over 30 years, (yes before 18).
My PCP says this is all normal for a guy my age. I just want to know if it is.
I have constant and varying severe LBP and foot numbness.
The following is everything 2 MRIs and a bunch of x-rays revealed in 2007.
Diagnosed problems with lumbar spine 2007 ***** dob 11/**/59
L1-2:
> Mild anterior wedge morphology
L2-L3:
> Early bilateral facet hypertrophy
> Minimal disk bulging
> no significant spinal stenosis or neural foraminal stenosis at this level at this time


L3-L4:
> Moderate disk bulging
> Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy
> Bilateral facet hypertrophy
> Moderate spinal stenosis
> Moderate bilateral neural foraminal stenosis
> Neural encroachment
> Disk desication

L4-L5:

> Severe disk bulging
> Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy
> Bilateral facet hypertrophy
> Moderate spinal stenosis
> Severe impingement upon the bilateral lateral recesses.
> Neural encroachment
> Marked degenerative disk disease and facet arthropathy
> Anterior osteophyte formation
> Facet arthropathy more prominent on the right
> Severe degenerative disk space narrowing with associated degenerative end plate changes
> Disk space narrowing is asymetric & more prominent on the left with associated lateral arthritic lipping
> Severe degenerative hypertrophic change of the facet joints & ligamentum flavum
> Borderline central canal stenosis
> Mild left neuroforaminal stenosis
> Noted vacuum sign phenomenon
> Consistent end plate collapse & Abundant facet arthropathy
> Anterior osteophyte formation









                                                                                            Page 2
L5-S1:
> Severe diffuse disk bulging
> Bilateral facet hypertrophy
> Severe right neural foraminal stenosis
> Moderate left neural foraminal stenosis
> Disk bulging
> Neural encroachment
> Marked degenerative disk disease and facet arthropathy
> Significant disk space narrowing
> Facet arthropathy changes more prominent on the right
> Asymetric disk space narrowing that is severe on the right
> Grade one retrolisthesis
> Very small paracentral disc herniation
> Noted vacuum sign phenomenon
> Consistent end plate collapse & abundant facet arthropathy
> Ap view shows dextroscoliosis of the lumbar spine
> Levoscoliosis
> Straightening of the normal lumbar lordosis
> Neurologic:
Patellar: symmetrically absent
Achilles: symmetrically absent
> 3mm anterolisthesis L5 on S1
> Instability
Sources:
01/15/07, , x-rays, lumbar spine, 4 views.
01/18/07, , MRI, lumbar spine non-contrast.
02/27/07, , x-rays, lumbar spine, 7 view series.
04/03/07, , x-rays, flexion and extension views.
08/28/07, Stand up MRI of America, MRI, standing & sitting position MRI.
11/09/07, , x-rays, 3 views and exam.
1/18/08, , lumbar spine x-rays supine flex / ext.

* Edited by MedHelp to remove personal information
2 Responses
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Avatar universal
Can you get a bulging disk from a minor slip and fall.

Can it cause enough pain to cause a person to be absent from work for six weeks.

Would pain from a bulging disk manifest immediately after the fall.

.Is it possible to experience a bulging disk immediately after a fall and have the pain increase gradually? i.e. six weeks later
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
It is indeed common in your circumstances as you have done intense physical work through out your life.
Otherwise degenerative disease and facet hypertrophy are common in old age.
There are many different terms used to describe spinal disc pathology and associated pain, such as “herniated disc”, “pinched nerve”, and “bulging disc”. The bones which form your spine are called as vertebrae. The space between two vertebras is cushioned with disc. When disc bulge or break open due to any reasons like ageing, or trauma to spine, it is called as herniated disc and this can cause pinching of nerve. It can happen in any region, but is more common at lower back in lumbar region and cervical region.
It is advisable for you to do physiotherapy for relief of pain and spasm of muscle, pain killers and pain management specialist for conservative management.
But if this fails, the option left is surgery.
You may want to consider surgery if you have had severe shooting pain in shoulder radiating down to arms for more than a month. Only about 1 person in 10 still has enough pain after 6 weeks to think about surgery.
As there are complications associated with spinal surgery, the doctor will exhaust all his conservative management and then opine for surgery.
Hope this helps.
Bye.
Helpful - 0
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