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  • Pauls
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    I went back for my follow up exam for my ACDF. I still have a bit of soreness in my neck but all melopothy and radicular pain has subsided. I told my surgeon that I have pretty severe pain in my Thoracic and lumbar region with radicular pain in my left leg. She stated that my Thoracic pain was from straightening of my neck even though I had those pains before my ACDF. She decided to schedule a lumbar MRI with the following results.
    T11-T12 T12-L1 Disc bulges effacing the thecal sac
    L1-L2 L2-L3 Unremarkable
    L3-L4 Annular disc bulge with endplate spurring effacing the thecal sac, Lateral recess and foraminal fat
    L4-L5 unremarkable
    L5-S1 Annular disc bulge with endplate spurring. 1.5 mm grade 1 retrolisthesis with mild narrowing of lateral recess and foraminal bilaterally is seen as well as thecal sac effacement.

    Also noted lumbar lordosis straightening wich may indicate ligamentpus sprain. Fatty marrow signal in the vertebral bodies.
    My concern is my Thoracic region after showing a disc bulge in T11-T12 should I request a Thoracic MRI?
    I’m 50 years old and am a bit concerned about all the issues with my spine. Any advice wo
    uld be helpful. I’ve have been going to PT and chiropractic care off and on for the last 20 years with little to no improvement
    Thank you

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    “Disc bulges effacing the thecal sac” indicate degenerative disc changes but no significant neurological compression. This could cause local thoraco-lumbar back pain but no pain in the left leg.You have some degenerative disc disease in the L5-S1 segment (lowest disc) which can cause lower back pain. Keeping weight down and working on core strengthening would be the best way to treat these disorders. The MRI report is not too descriptive but nothing I see makes me think of surgery.

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
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