MRI Results & physio

[AC2]

Hi,
I'm not sure if this should be here or in the 'off topic' section as it's not about my WG, sorry.

I've been suffering from sciatica since Dec and had my MRI on Feb 2nd. I've also been attending physio for 5 weeks.

I went to my GP yesterday & my results weren't ready, he said he'd chase it up & told me to return in a week.

Today I went to physio, and my results were on my file (with yesterday's date on it). She printed me a copy & and briefly explained what it meant, but couldn't go into depth or discuss what happens next, just told me to see my GP asap. So tomorrow morning I'll be phoning the doctors for an 'on-the-day' appointment.
I was discharged from physio, as after 5 sessions there's no sign of improvement & they don't think it was helping.

So, the result...
There's a large right paracentral posterior disc extrusion at level L5/S1. This is compressing the anterior theca and the right S1 nerve root in the lateral recesses. There's also disc dehydration at the same level.

To to me, that means I have a disc herniation that is pressing on my nerves.
If anyone has anymore explanation please let me know.

I'll update again tomorrow once I've seen my GP & hopefully know what's going to happen next.

[Pete]

I think your reading of the report is essentially correct. I would guess that you may be looking at some anti-inflammatories and some exercises that will allow the hernia to reduce. Good luck.

[windchime]

That is a pretty accurate assumption. As Pete said anti inflammatories. There are stretching procedure that allow the disc to go back where it belongs thus avoiding surgery. Check all your alternatives before doing back surgery. Hugs to you.

[AC2]

Thanks for the replies. I'm currently laying in bed (almost 3.30am, here in the UK), wide awake, wondering what my GP will say in the morning.

I'm noctural at at the moment anyway, not just because of the results & not knowing.

[pberggren1]

How is your energy level? Do you feel you need to take naps at all?

[mishb]

My husband had exactly the same L5/S1

After many many years of physio and anti inflammatories, pain killers and sometimes morphine - he had surgery to repair the disc by cutting away the torn, shattered stuff and thereby releasing it from his nerve.
This worked for about 3 years and then he needed to have a cortisone injection into the disc.
This was 20 years ago and he has never looked back - well, he does have the occasional relapse but not like it was.

He certainly feels your pain - he did say though, that yours will be easier fixed with what Cindy has advised.
He said thankfully your disc has not ruptured. He said that acupuncture may work on a herniated disc, but it doesn't on a rupture.

As his wife, I also feel your pain........yes it was bad for us too. Just the agony we saw him in when driving him to doctors appointments etc. - hit a bump in the road, and we were toast. As with WG, pain medication can give people a personality that you wouldn't ever imagine being like.
We survived, he survived and he lives to tell the tale.

Lots of rest and lots of stretches AC - fingers crossed that it doesn't last much longer.

[AC2]

So, I saw my doctor this morning... He's referred me to a neurosurgeon. He said they might not do anything, but as I've had the pain for 2.5 months and it's got worse rather than improved with physio, he wants to refer me for their opinion. Would it be them that offer anti-inflammatories and/or steroid injections ?

Also, I've been googling disc extrusion, as it was a new term to me & found the following image...
http://www.spineuniverse.com/sites/default/files/legacy-images/bart_3label-BB.jpg
I can understand this. I hope it's correct, as it explains to me the different types of disc herniation/slipped disc/disc degeneration (why are there so many names for the same thing?)

[windchime]

So, I saw my doctor this morning... He's referred me to a neurosurgeon. He said they might not do anything, but as I've had the pain for 2.5 months and it's got worse rather than improved with physio, he wants to refer me for their opinion. Would it be them that offer anti-inflammatories and/or steroid injections ?

Also, I've been googling disc extrusion, as it was a new term to me & found the following image...
http://www.spineuniverse.com/sites/default/files/legacy-images/bart_3label-BB.jpg I can understand this. I hope it's correct, as it explains to me the different types of disc herniation/slipped disc/disc degeneration (why are there so many names for the same thing?)

Although they are similar they are all at different stages of deterioration. Like the pictures show you could also name them Stage 1,2,3, and 4. Higher the number the worse the problem. If that was a rhetorical question, well just disregard my answer. :rolleyes1:

[Debbie C]

I sure hope you don't have to have surgery. My mother has degenerating discs and has had 4 surgies.1 was to put in a rod and 8 screws in her back and implant a morphine pump in her stomach. The last was remove it all because after having it for 10 years ( with no relief in pain ) she got a blood infection from the metal. She is in constent pain and has had everything done you can do and nothing helps. She can barely walk at all now. So try everything you can before they cut you open. Good luck and I hope you can find some relieve from the pain so you can sleep nights

[AC2]

Thought I just posted a reply, but it's disappeared instead of posting.

Oh, yeah, I can see it as stages now. Not good that I'm at stage 3 already.

I can't help to think, if more was done when I went to the doctors with lower back pain last year (about May time) treatment/prevention could've been done and I might not be in this pain now. Only when I started experiencing hip/leg pain instead, was sciatica diagnosed & an MRI scan requested.

[windchime]

Sometimes there isn't much they can do with degenerative changes. You may have benefited from the proper stretching techniques early on and still may. Don't throw in the towel yet. Just remember when you go to the surgeon......they like to cut that's what they do. So seek a second opinion if you don't like what he's telling you or even if you do like what he's telling you. Ask about alternatives to surgery and don't let him downplay the advantages to them. Like with the Wegs you are your own best advocate. Be informed. Best of luck to you.