is my report serious??

[aanchgupta30]

I am 22 years  female.I was having lower backache.. and after passing of time it causes numbness in my left leg.
I had my MRI L.S Spine done.. an report writes as follows..

MR findings are suggestive of Degenerative Disc Disease with Large left Paracentral disc extruded disc at L5-S1 level compressing left existing nerve root.

please guide me and tell me.. till what extent my problem is reached?? Is it serious?? is it a life long problem??

[FTB4]

It means you have Degenerative Disc Disease, which most of us have at an older age, How old are you? My daughter has it at 40. What it means is that one of your spinal discs, which is the cushion between the vertibre is squished out and causing the disc to protude or herniate, and this slide is putting pressure on the nerves that travel through your spine, and that would cause, nerve pain, tingling and numbness. Usually the lower back affects the legs, and the neck affects the arms shoulders, hands and upper back. Some times the issues can be releived with antiinflammatory medication and muscle relaxers, others are repaired by an uninvasive surgery, where they fuse the spine together at the location of the damaged disc and this takes the pressure off the nerve.  Best Regards FTB4

[Suziq38]

Hi,
I have had numbness in both hands and feet.
Both legs are painful and weak.

This has gotten gradually worse with activity and exercise.

The lumbar spine MRI did not show very much for me.
It took them 18 months for a very good doctor to realize that the problem was in my upper spine.
They took MRI's of the Cervical spine (upper ) and T spine as well.

The problem was in  my c spine, and I have signal changes.
This means that if left untreated for too long, may cause more paralysis in my legs and arms.

Right now it is a severe weakness, and I can barely walk.

They had to rule out M.S. first, then  I was cleared for surgery.
Make sure you have mRI's on those other to areas of your spine as well to make a proper diagnosis.

Good Luck.