SarahMay

Dear Dr Corenman,
I had an updated MRI of my lumbar spine.It showed the following:
L5 vertebral body diminutive suggesting a pseudospondylolisthesis.Modic type 3 end plate changes across the L5-S1 disk.
Upper lumbar discs irregular with dessication and height loss,mild at L4-L5 and severe at L5-S1.
L4-L5 Mild broad disk protrusion
with mild facet and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.This causes O
mild central canal stenosis and mimimal contact of the traversin
g right L5 nerve root .Mild bilateral neural foraminal
stenosis.
L5-S1 Moderate central disc protrusion with an annulr tear.Also an annularr tear and mild facet and ligamentum flavan hypertrophy causing mild central canal stenosis and moderate bilateral neural foraminal stenosis with disc contact of the exiting L5 nerve root where it transverse L4-L5 and exits the L5-S1 level.
I met with a neurosurgeon who has prescribed nerve root blocks followed by facet joint injections four weeks later. I also have to attend a specialist physio. Does this seem a good course of action?.
Thank you.

Forgot to say it feels as though I am being squeezed either side of the lower vertebrae. Also have constant sciatica on left side going into middle of buttock and causinh pain behind left hip particularly at night.The pain occasionally goes down my leg and I have pain in my heel. It wakes me most nights.The right side pain stays local to the vertebrae with rare bouts of sciatica.

Hi Dr Corenman,
I went to see a neurosurgeon this week. I’m not a surgical candidate. Just said I had wear and tear-an expression I despise as it seems to belittle the fact that it is painful. I did have different sensation on the left side compared to the right. I was just told I was lucky not to be a surgical candidate and to lose weight and excercise both of which I have been doing in earnest.And that was it. Zero help to me and I’m still in pain.