MRI does anyone know what this is saying???

[garyt728]

lumbar spine

there is disc desiccation with disc space narrowing at L4 through S1
the conus  medullaris ends at L1
there is no compression deformity or spondylolisthesis
normal marrow signal is maintained

Disc spaces

L3-L4: there is posterior disc bulge abutting the thecal sac. Left far posterolateral shallow
protrusion slightly narrows the left neural foramen

L4-L5: there is posterior disc bulge with right central/subarticular protrusion. There is
shallow extrusion also. there is right subarticular narrowing and mild right neural
foraminal canal narrowing. there is impingement of the right L5 nerve root.
there is mild central canal stenosis.

L5-S1: a left central subarticular disc protrusion with shallow extrusion is noted.
There is impingement and posterior displacement of the left S1 nerve root.
there is left subarticular narrowing.

impression

1: left centrsl/subarticular disc protrusion with extrusion at L5-S1 impinging  the
left S1 nerve root.
2: right central/subarticular disc protrusion with extrusion at L4-L5 narrowing
at the right neural foramen slightly and impinging the L5 nerve root.

19, 2014 at 12:01 AM, GARY THOMAS  wrote:



MRI of the cervical spine

Cord: the vervicomedullary junction is normal. Normal cord signal is present.
there is no syringohydromyelia or myelmalacis is identified.

Osseous structures: the vertebral body heights are preserved. Normal marrow signal
is maintained. There is no compression deformity. There is no spondyloisthesis. No
marrow infiltration is seen. The prevertebral soft tissue appears normal.

Disc spaces:  the disc spaces are preserved.

C2-C3:  there is no significant disc disease no cord or nerve root impingement is seen.
C3-C4: there is a central disc bulge without nerve root impingement or canal stenosis.

C4-C5: there is a central shallow protrusion indenting the ventral cord. There is no canal
stenosis however.
C5-C6: there is a posterior disc bulge, with left subarticular shallow protrusion slightly
narrowing the left neural foramen.

C6-C7: there is a posterior disc bulge with right subarticular protrusion narrowing the
right neural foramen.  there is no canal stenosis.

impression:
1: right subarticular disc protrusion at C6-C7 narrowing the right neural foramen

2: left subarticular shallow protrusion at C5-C6 mildly narrowing the left neural foramen.
  
3: central shallow protrusion at C4-C5

4: disc bulge at C3-C4

[philnoir]

Often we have to take care of ourselves when it comes to back pain, and that means learning all you can about it, and possible treatments.

At this point treatment involves medication to control pain and inflammation, physical therapy, and perhaps injections of corticosteroids.

Search for "Interventional pain management" to learn more about treatments.

[garyt728]

thanks very much for your reply,
pain started in 2010, after  I had a fall. when the pain started I was getting electric shocks and rapidly escalated in severity to within a month I couldn't and still cant wear socks or shoes .
I was misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy until a few months ago when I had my mri.
the sad part Is back in 2010 I saw  neurologists and 4 different doctors and none of them thought to look at my back,
now my meds are
gabapentin 3600mg/day
lyrica 300/mg day
tramadol 400-500 mg/day
flexeril 10mg/day
and I still have debilitating pain

[philnoir]

Gary, it is obvious that you reported with neck and lower back pain.

The MRI shows degenerative disc changes at multiple levels in both the lumbar and cervical spine. Some of these discs bulge and press against the spinal cord and root nerves, with altering severity. The general diagnosis is degenerative disc disease (DDD), and more specific diagnoses can be applied, depending on the severity of disease and structures affected.

In general, your MRI looks like you're at an early stage of DDD because the space between vertebrae is preserved.  Fortunately there no cord stenosis or narrowing of the spinal cord space in the neck. There is some narrowing near the lumbar/sacral interface, just above your hips.

Treatment at this point involves medication to control pain and inflammation, physical therapy, and perhaps injections of corticosteroids.

Cord stenosis in the lower back should be watched for increasing severity. Often mild cord stenosis (called in this case, lumbar spinal stenosis) is asymptomatic. With no prior MRI data, we don't know if this is a new condition or if you've lived with this for a long time.

Unfortunately, this is a chronic condition. You will not heal from DDD, but you will want to control pain, and maintain range of motion. Seek out an interventional pain doctor specializing in the spine. These specialists treat pain and help avoid surgery until it is necessary to stabilize the spine or maintain the cord space. You are far from this, so don't let them operate.

It is unfortunate that many PCPs refer to surgeons as a first choice, and people have surgery too soon, causing additional intractable pain.

Best wishes.