I am in varying degrees of chronic pain from my neck down to the end of my back. Doctors have not gone over recent MRI findings with me and so far various therapeutic modalities only provide temporary relief and all nonnarcotic pain meds only take edge off.
LUMBAR SPINE WO CONTRAST:
- Verterbral Alignment: many minimal retrolisthesis of L5 on S1
- Vertebral Bone Marrow: Fatty marrow changes notes at L4-L5. Minimal edema seen in the right lateral superior endplate of L5.
- Disc Space: Disc desiccation and moderate loss of disc height at L4-L5 L5-S1 level
Levels
L4-L5: Generalized disc bulge more pronounced in the right lateral aspect. Cause mild right foraminal stenosis with indentation of exiting L4 root.
L5-S1: Generalized disc bulge with minimal broad-based disc protrusion. This bulge causes moderate left foraminal stenosis with indentation of exiting nerve root. There is also mild right foraminal stenosis.
Impression: Degenerative disc with fatty marrow changes in the endplates and mild edema seen in the superior right lateral L5 endplate. Disc bulge more pronounced on the right side at L4-L5 with mild right foraminal stenosis. Generalized disc bulge small central disc protrusion L5-S1 level. There is moderate left and mild right foraminal stenosis. Minimal retrolisthesis also noted at this level.
CERVICAL SPINE WO CONTRAST:
Disc Space: There is mild decreased disc height and signal within the C3-C4, C4-C5, and C5-C6 intervertebral discs compatible with disc desiccation.
Levels:
C4-C5: Posterior disc bulge flattens the ventral thecal sac. Posterior facet and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy is seen. This in association with a congenitally small canal results in mild central spinal and bilateral neuroforaminal stenosis.
C5-C6: Posterior disc bulge flattens the ventral thecal sac. Posterior facet and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy is seen. This in association with a congenitally small canal results in mild central spinal and bilateral neuroforaminal stenosis.
C6-C7: Left posterior facet and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy results in mild left neuroforaminal stenosis.
Spinal Cord: Mild cerebellar tonsillar ectopia.
Impression:
Mild posterior bulging discs at C4-C5 and C5-C6 with posterior facet and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. This in association with a congenitally small canal results in mild central spinal and bilateral neuroforaminal stenosis. Additionally, there is mild left C6-C7 neuroforaminal stenosis.
I did not include any areas where finding were unremarkable. Can you explain the findings to me and perhaps this will shed some light onto this chronic pain and perhaps what I can do about it? Thank you so very much!