Alex126K

I recently had a follow up with my ortho and he looked at the MRI and came to the conclusion that I have a stress fracture. He said it will heal on it’s own. He said it’s very common but weird how I’m in soo much pain. So I recently went to the ER and they looked at the same MRI and he informed me that my L-1 through L-5 disc are herniated and I have buldging disc material. They also said my L-5 is compressed. Both doctor’s looked at the same MRI. Also my ortho said if a brace doesn’t help heal it that I can have surgery to fix it. But this doctor is old school and doesn’t believe in medicine for anything. The hospital gave me dallidid because they said it will be very painful to move. (which it is). Who do I need to believe? What should I do now? One doctor say’s it’s not serious and the other say’s it is.

Thanks for the reply! Now my orthopedic is having me wear a back brace because when he took a X-ray he said he found a fracture at L5-S1, but this brace really hurts and he told me to take Tylenol but I told him it doesn’t work. Should Tylenol be able to take away the pain? And should I still wear the brace even though it causes more pain?

Sorry for all these reply’s. I’m just worried and would like to know what’s wrong with me. I have some additional information. Back in March of 2010 I had a “CT L SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST” but my doctor didn’t understand the report because she spoke very little English, so she just left it unspoken of, and I forgot about it until now when I needed it for a orthopedic doctor. But here is the report:

HISTORY: Lower back pain, 724.2. 14-year-old male who reports bilateral posterior leg pain and lower back pain.

TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar, multisequence imaging was obtained of the lumbar spine without contrast.

FINDINGS: There are promineent anterior Schmorl’s nodes involving the superior endplates of L3 and L4 with a small central Schmorl’s node involving the superior endplate of L2. The vertebral bodies maintain normal height and alignment. No compression deformities are seen. No paraspinal soft tissue masses are appreciated.

At L1-L2, there is no focal disc abnormality. Mildly bulging disc material partially effaces the inferior foraminal fat bilaterally.

At L2-L3, there is a mild diffuse disc bulge. Partial effacement of the foraminal fat is present bilaterally.

At L3-L4, there is a mild disc bulge. Partial effacement of the foraminal fat is present bilaterally. No focaal disc abnormally is appreciated.

At L4-L5, there is a mild diffuse disc bulge. Partial effacement of the inferior foraminal fat is present bilaterally. There is no focal disc abnormally or significant acquired spinal canal stenosis.

At L5-S1, there are bilateral pars defects present. There is an anterolisthesis at L5-S1 measuring approximately 4-5 mm. There is a congential deformity of the posterior elements involving the spinous process and laminae. There is a small spina bifida occullta incidentlly noted at this level. The anterolisthesis in conjection with mildly bulging disc materal results in mild foraminal stenosis bilaterally. lateral recess stenosis is present bilaterally. There is no significant acquired spinal stenosis. The remainder of the examination is unremarkable.

IMPRESSION:

BILATERAL PARS DEFECTS OF L5 ARE PRESENT. THERE IS AN ANTEROLISTHESIS AT L5-S1 MEASURING 4-5 MM. BULGING DISC MATERIAL AND EARLY DISC SPACE NARROWING CONTRIBUTE TO FORAMINAL STENOSIS BILATERALLY. NO NERVE ROOT IMPINGEMENT IS SEEN. THE REMAINDER OF THE EXAM IS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

*Sorry, Dr. Corenman for the reply’s and such a long message*

Thanks, Alex