back and severe leg pain

  • Thread starter Thread starter tkeeling
  • Start date Start date
T

tkeeling

Guest
I have had an MRI that states:

1. Posterior bulge at L2-3
2. Disc space narrowing with diffuse posterior bulge at L3-4 with small subtle ruptured annulus left posterolaterally. This is minimal bilateral foraminal encroachment and mild hypertrophy of the facets at L3-4
3. Small diffues posterior bulge with focal ruptured annulus right posterolaterally and slight right foraminal narrowing at L4-5
4. Small central posterior bulge at L5-S1

What does this mean? I have severe pain in my left leg when I try to sleep on my left side. The pain starts within minutes of laying on my side in the hip, then the longer I lay there, the pain then radiates down leg all the way to my feet.

I turn over to my right side and this starts again. Then I lay on my back awhile and the pain begins in my low back.

I have a tempurpedic mattress, which helps some, but I can't get any real good sleep. I have tried "non surgical" spinal decompression 50 times (visits) all that insurance would pay for, no help.

My doctor thinks this is not a problem. What should I do and what does this mean?

Thanks for any info you might give.
 
What type of doctor are you seeing? If your internist or PCP is reading the MRI, I would suggest you make an appointment with an orthopedic spinal surgeon or a neurosurgeon who devotes his practice to the back and neck. An MRI is just one piece of the diagnostic puzzle. When corabined with a physical exam, perhaps other imaging, etc. the spinal specialist may pick up something the PCP thought was "nothing."

None of us on the board are trained to read MRIs, but I noticed you have a couple small annular tears at L3-4 and L4-5. Often when there is a tear, it allows the gel substance in the nucleus to leak out from the center of the disk. There are nerves in the surrounding area that are sensitive to the chemicals of the nucleus, and they can become irritated. Because these spinal nerves carry signals to the legs, in all likelihood, you are feeling the pain radiating down from these injured discs. My guess (and it is just that!!) is that your pain is being generated by the problem that is mentioned at point # 3 on your radiology report.

I would suggest you visit a spinal specialist who can explain your MRI to you, and conduct a physical exam. Then you will have a proper diagnosis, as well as a plan of treatment.
 
Back
Top