False Negative MRI ?

[UnScene]

Hi, I would like to first thank all who are reading my post and attempting to help me.  I realize that you are all very busy and the fact that you would help a complete stranger is just amazingly considerate and sympathetic.
First a little back story (sorry if I ramble) :
I am 25 years old, and I have been in 3 major car accidents in my life.
The first was entirely my fault, I was 18 years old and drove my car off of an exit ramp on Alligator Alley in S. Florida.
The second was when I was 21 in the middle of the night and I was making a left turn when a speeding car ran the red light and we collided.
The third was a few days before my 22 birthday.  It was during spring break in 2009 and I was on my way home from work at about 3:45 a.m. when a driver sped through a light turning red.  I was in motion when the light turned green so I never hit my breaks.  When we both reached the middle of the intersection, my front-end hit the back right-side of their SUV.  After the accident the driver sped off.  I was able to drive my bashed-up car to an empty lot where I called 911.  An ambulance came to take me to the hospital.  And I was sent home the next morning with a referral to a Pain Management doctor located at the same hospital.
After my first accident, I was also taken to the hospital but I was young and wouldn't let them examine me.  I wanted to go home because I was naive and scared.
I did not go to the hospital after the second one at all.  I didn't think it was necessary.
Immediately after the third one I had excruciating pain that has persisted for 3 and a half years.  It just won't subside and I have become extremely saddened due to this fact.  I am not depressed, I just want the pain to go away because it's not fair (nothing is fair, I understand that, I just hate this and I wish it would stop already).
Now on to my problem :
Following the accident, I went to see the Pain Management doctor I was referred to, she immediately gave me pain medication and sent me for MRI's.  The original MRI's showed three problems.
The first is a central disc bulge on the C3 - C4 area of the cervical spine.
The second is a disc herniation on the T10 - T11 area of the thoracic spine
The third is another central disc bulge on the L4 - L5 area of the lumbar spine.
Recently I have changed doctors, because my mother does not and has not liked the doctor I was seeing so she convinced to go see someone else.  As a student I can't afford to live on my own and I use my grants and scholarships to help my family with bills during these trying times in our nation, and I honestly listen to my parents (and grandma as well) because they are gracious enough to let me live with them.
When I changed doctors he ordered new MRI's.  I could not afford to get them all at the same time so I began with the lumbar.
The new MRI's diagnosis for this area was exactly the same.  "Central disc bulge" on the L4 - L5.
Last month I got the other two done (using a different machine, at the same facility) and the findings showed nothing wrong.
The issue I am having, is that the technician was making fun of me for my piercings and tattoos (to my face) and acted like there was something wrong with me for having them.  Also, I weigh about 97 lbs. and the whirring of the machine was causing my body to vibrate.  The technician told me several times to stop moving, and I told him that it wasn't my fault, yet he said it was me and that I was "nervous".  When the report was sent to my new doctor, it said that the findings were negative, yet he did not mention the vibrating (which according to my doctor can cause motion blurs).
My doctor said that the findings were so minimal that my pain is basically a ludicrous statement.
How can only the first show something?  And how can I still be in pain?
Please help me.  I don't know what to do and I'm so tired of doctors thinking that I am lying, simply because of how I look and the fact that I don't like to complain because I don't want to annoy people.  I try to be rather stoic and deal with the pain quietly.  Do I have to be extremely vocal to be heard?
Also, how often are MRI's wrong?  Specifically, how often do they show nothing, yet their actually is something wrong?

[Kalvin]

MRI reading is highly subjective, it has a lot to do with the experience and training of the Radiologist involved. One might see something and another might not.

The findings then are generally correlated (if possible) to the patients pain or symptoms.  You didn't mention much about the type of pain you're having?

Even if the MRI don't show any distinct problems, that doesn't mean that your pain doesn't exist, right? You might have to find a Doctor that knows this (well they all know it) but one that will admit it, and treat you accordingly.

And Yes you do have to be extremely vocal and advocate for yourself.

[UnScene]

Hi, Thanks for your help.
Yes the first set was done in 2009, and the low back was in July of this year, and the mid and neck were down in September.
Honestly, my age and appearance have been a hindrance.  No doctor wants to take me seriously, I went to an ortho, and he spent literally about 30 seconds looking at all the MRI's and said "your in pain, but these MRI's show nothing".  
I don't know what else to do.  I just hate this.  I don't want to be in pain anymore.
But thank you so much for your help and support, I hope you feel relief soon.
UnScene

[Weathergirl21]

Hi there...

I'm a little confused on the timeline of the MRIs? Was the first set taken back in 2009 after your accident? That is the way that it sounded from your post....And then this last set was done fairly recently?

I will wait to speak further about it after you claify that..Obviously I am not a Dr. and just another pain patient but I have had spine/disc issues and surgeries for 11 years now.

And it is actually quite common for those in chronic pain to be depressed. It's something that many people face so it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's important though to make sure you are taking care of your emotional health at the same time. So seeing a counseling can be very helpful..and if needed, going on an anti-depressant for awhile may be necessary.

And the person who is reviewing your MRIs need to be a Board Certified Neurosurgeon or BC Orthopedic surgeon. A PM Dr. is not qualified in spines this way unless they are actually trained in Neuro or Ortho and Board Certified in those.

So...you need to have them reviewed by the right Dr.

And with any spine issues....it's really two choices...It's either something that is emergent showing a surgical need to intervene. Or they will devise a comprehensive program to help you get better.

The good news is with the right treatment...close to 85% of spine issues will resolve on their own without surgery.

There is a plan with daily exercise, yoga/stretching, physical therapy, aqua therapy, injections, acupuncture, ultrasound massage, TENS unit, steroids, ice, heat, etc.

It's important to work with a PT to strengthen one's core muscles to help protect the back from further damage.

And then most people with any spine issues use a nerve pain medication like Lyrica, Neurontin, or Cymbalta. These specifically target the nerve pain that is caused by bulging discs, bone spurs, or stenosis.

And then a muscle relaxer to take as needed. This is either Flexeril, Robaxin, Skelaxin, Baclofen, or Zanaflex. These specifically target muscle spasms that happen to most people with spine issues.

Also..it's imperative to be a non smoker as it's now proven that smoking causes not only spine issues with dehydration of discs, but they have shown that people who smoke have a lower tolerance to pain and need more pain medication than those who don't smoke.

Same with maintaining a healthy weight and eating well. Any extra weight is not only bad because of things like possible heart issues or diabetes...but pressure on our knees and our back/spine.