Need Help Reading MRI

[JAP79]

I'm a 31 years old and in a lot of pain. I had this same problem about a year ago. I had an MRI the doctor told me I had a small bulging disc at T5-T6. He sent me for a steroid shot and PT I was in pain for months but it lessened never has totally gone away. In the past month pain is back and seems to be getting worse. I had another MRI done and the nurse called and said there has been no appreciable change over the interval from last study.  MRI reads The bulging disc at T5-T6 seen previously is minimally more prominent. No masses No central or foraminal stenosis over the thoracic segments. Shows small hemangiomas T2 and T11. There is desiccation of the discs at T5-T6, T6-T7, & T7-T8 which are stable.  Is desiccation normal and nothing to worry about cause the nurse didn't bring it up so I can only assume its normal. Can anyone help?

[ViolaBow]

If you find the right radiologist who is very experienced in cortisone injections, they should be more beneficial. A lot has to do with the experience of the person performing the procedure. See if you can locate a radiologist that does this procedure as one of their main interventions. The cortisone wears off after a while and you should never have more than three cortisone injections per year. Another type of therapy that can help is ozone therapy. Worth looking into. I can't help with the dessication question, sorry but spent 7 years as a secretary for a neuroradiologist in Sydney so I have seen many different results from different radiologists performing cortisone injections.

[Kalvin]

Desiccation is somewhat normal; it just means the discs are drying out a little. I have issues at T6 myself, I have a lot of upper back and wrap around chest pain. Is this similar to what you're experiencing, what aggravates it?