mri lumbar spine result

[Jo-Anne_71]

I had my first mri scan done a month ago still waiting to see neurosurgeon in Brisbane.
I am 36yr old female. I had a low back pain for over 20 years now.
Can you please explain to me the medical terms and is there possibility of surgery or what other options. What is short term and long term damage?
Findings: Lordosis and vertebral alignment appears preserved. Rudimentrary disc seen at S1/2. Minimal soliosis is seen with confexity to the left. The L3/4 -L5/S1 discs appear desiccated with slightly reduced L4/5 and L5/S1 disc heights. L3/4 Mild disc bulge is seen without significant canal/foraminal stenosis. L4/5 Annular teal and Mild disc bulge is seen with mild facetal arthropathy on the left side without significant canal/foraminal stenosis. L5/S1 Mild disc bulge, small paracentral disc protrusion and facetal arthropathy are seen with the disc protrusion contacting and minimally displacing the left S1 traversing nerve rfoot without causing significant canal stenosis. Vetebrae revea; essentially preserved height and illdefined small T1/T2 hperintense lesion is seen in L3 vertebral body with another focal T1/T2 hyperinstensity seen adjacent to the superior endplate of T12 vertebral body. Prevertebral and paraspinal soft tissues reveal no obvious focal abnormality. Conus medullaris appears unremarkable.  I hope this will help to answer my question?

[mike1105]

it certainly sounds muscular-- especially with the short leg. i would have it checked though by a posture specialist. sometimes its not the leg that is short, but the pelvis may be tilted or the hip flexors tigther on one side and this pulls your leg up into the hip socket-- making it appear shorter. I'd be very leary in your case with thins like injections/ and especially surgery. may make you worse

[Jo-Anne_71]

Thanks  mike for reply. I had two bad falls when I was a teenager a friend pull a chair out before I had a chance to sit on so I crashed on the hard floor on my butt and had a fall (again on my butt) on a slipppery steps yes  it did hurt my lower back pretty badly.  It hasn't been the same ever since.  Yes I am overweight I am currently losing weight.Two pregnancies put on over 30kgs each time but lose it. The pain varies I dont like sitting , lying down especially when I am sleeping, standing a long period of time it aches and hurts it seems to effect the left side of my lower back sometimes I do get tingling and cramping pains. My leg is shorter than the other but i have special heel adjustment in my shoes to eliminate the problem.Yes I have been going chiropractor and accupunture. Any other alternatives that might help my back? Thanks Jo

[mike1105]

YOUR MRI Seems pretty benign to me. BAck pain most of the time is not from things that are found on an MRI, especially if you've had this pain for so long without numbness,weakness and radiation to the toes. more than likely, your pain is muscular/postural in nature. are you overweight? how is your posture? are you on the computer alot? do you have a strong core?? I'd go that route in a serious manner before even thinking about surgery. the worst mistake anyone )patient or doctor is to proceed with an operation on pain. When there is no obvious, traceable reason for pain on an MRI, the solution is usually in the patient's hands, not in a procedure or a doctor.