MRI RESULTS

GOING TO POST RESULTS FROM MRI--  HOPING THAT SOMEONE CAN TELL ME WHAT THIS ALL MEANS:

FINDINGS: The conus medullas is terminates posterior to T12-L1, No retotroperitoneal abnormanlity.
Bone Marrow signal intensity is Normal. No Compression deformity or Subluxation.

At L5-S1 There is left greater then right Facet disease. There is a 2-3MM central and left paracentral posterior disc protrusion. No neural foranominal narrowing or spinal Sterosis. No lateral recess narrowing is identified.

At L4-L5, thre is mild bilateral facet disease. no disc disease, no neural forminal narrowing or spinal stenosis.

AtL3-4, Thee is mild disc space narrowing with suspected vacuum phenomenon. There is a 1mm disc bulge with superimposed right forminal and far lateral zone disc protrusion mearsuring up to 7mm in AP dimension and 8mm is craniocaudal diminsion(sagittal image #10 and sagittal image #9) This causes moderate right neural foraminal narrowing.  The left foramen is patent. no spinal stenosis.


At L2-L3, 1-2 mm disc bulge. No Neural foraminal narrowing or spinal stenosis.

AtL L1-2,  no disc herniation, neural forminal narrowing or spinal stenosis.

IMPRESSION

1. Right foramainal and far lateral zone disc protrusion at L3-4, causes moderate neural forminal narrowing.

2. Other levels of mild degeneratative disc and facet disease. No Other neural forminal narrowing or spinal stenosis.

3. No Suspicious enhaning lesions.

[medicmommy]

Hiya!
Sooo...What this means...This is talking about your lumbar spine (bones that make up your spine between the bottom of your ribcage and the point where it hooks to your pelvis).
L= lumbar spine (low back) Lumbar has 5 bones (L-1, L-2, etc.)
S=sacrum (very bottom of your low back)

Picture your spine looking like a stack of salad plates with a pieces of bread between. The plates are vertebrae (back bones), the bread arre discs (spacers and shock absorbers between the bones.) With age, and disease process, the discs can break down (like a bread slice flattening) and the bones will began to grate together. Each back bone sprouts a nerve from each side. If the disc flattens, those nerves get squished causing pain or numbness. Bulging discs mean the shock absorbers are breaking down and the space between the bones are narrowing.

So, L-1/ L-2 (top end of your low back) are normal.
L-2/ L-3 have teeny bulging discs but are not pinching any nerves (discs are the squishy "shock absorbers" between your spinal bones. -They let you move and turn without the bones scraping on each other.) The small disc bulges can get worse, mild range of motion exercises will make the tight muscles that try to hold these areas in place feel less painful.

L-3/L-4 -A trouble spot. It shows disc narrowing enough that it may be causing some pain and may eventually need surgery when it worsens to relieve pressure

L-4/L-5 -some arthritis, but otherwise okay

L-5/S-1 -More arthritis and a small bulging disc. This will make your back ache at your hip level. It can cause sharp pain when straightening too fast or when picking up something heavy from the ground. It can also cause sciatic nerve pain (big nerve that goes across your rear.) Remember to always bend your knees and keep your back straight -even when picking up a piece of paper.

Well, there's "back bone 101" for you! Does this help? ~MM

[telynn]

Thank you, Did you have to learn all that to be a Medic, I want you to be there to save me!!LOL

HUGZ Terri

[telynn]

So this is why i have so much pain in my hips and down my legs? Was thinking is was Hashi's causing alot of it? I just never know what to think.

Thank YOU, Terri

[redheadaussie]

You've got what my friend has but his is in his neck. No wonder you have pain radiating down your hips and legs!

As medicmommy says, you got arthritis and some bulging discs. Both these can cause pain!

Pain relief and possibly sometime in the future you might need surgery to correct the bulging. In the meantime, try to get some physiotherapy done to help ease the pain.

[telynn]

Hi Red, Yes i have pain and it does not seem like this RFA i had done on Friday is helping. I had so much hope !! I felt good over the weekend but was taking strong meds Perocet and had my sister taking care of my Mom .so I did not lift her up on the bed right after having this done. I thought it worked but today trying to get though the day, just doing dishs and house work I was in tears not only because the pain was so bad and still there, but because i was so disappointed this RFA did not help. Seeing my Dr Mon 31st will see what she says about my MRI, maybe she will get me some PT.

Thank You RED, Hope you are doing OK, HUGZ Terri

[medicmommy]

Hi Terri,
I feel your disappointment...(((((HUGZ))))) If you haven't, here some things you can try that may give you tons of relief....
Do you have a large exercise ball? You can use it for self-therapy by making the disc spaces widen and the supporting muscles relax with a few simple stretching exercises. (Husband has been through this with L-3/4 issues -bulging/torn disc, deterioration, severe nerve pain) . You sit on the floor with your back against a slightly squishy ball. Stretch your arms overhead and slowly push your body up over top of the ball (use your legs) letting it support your back while you relax on the top of it. In the proper position you should be resting in a semi-backwards arched position with arms still hanging over your head (should almost be touching the floor). Hold that position for several minutes. If you can, do this several times per day until the pain lessens.
If you pain is constant and is disabling (you can't get out of bed, can't walk, etc.) you may need a cortisone injection at your trouble spot. What this does is makes your body's natural cortisone come to that area and decreases the inflammation for a long time. My husband has had 3 injections with complete pain relief following. The first two times lasted 6 months, and this last time it has been 18 months and counting! It's not fun, but if it works, its very much worth it...-I hope this helps! :) ~MM

[telynn]

Nam says it takes about a week before you can tell if the RFA worked so maybe Iam doing to much to soon, So will see next week how my back is

Thanks Terri