Back Pain Forum - Results from Myelogram/CT scan

JMA:

My, my. Your back is a mess, isn't it?

Having both cervical and lumbar problems is a double whammy. I have a long history of lumbar problems, so I can comment on that. I agree that your neuro should have helped you along faster if he couldn't help you, but you'll find that back pain is very difficult to diagnose and most doctors hesitate to proceed until all the tests are in. That doesn't make it right, that's just the way it is.

First of all, no good surgeon is going to rush into surgery until the other avenues of dealing with your pain has been tried.

Now, your lumbar myelogram is very telling. Even though you're only 38, you have degenerative disk disease with facet changes. As we age, our disks dry out and lose their elasticity and, by sitting a lot, the vertebra press down and flatten them or cause them to bulge. The flattening means that the padding between each vertebra is disappearing. The disk bulges cause pressing on the many nerves around the disks.

You have a disk fragment which is migrating causing severe stenosis and you also have a disk protrusion which could start pressing on a nerve root on L3. The L4-L5 shows almost the identical disk bulge, except it potentially could compromise both L5 nerve roots.

These are very serious changes in your spinal column and having two small children is probably not going to help with your battle. I have similar symptoms to yours and surgery was not indicated in my case because of the placement of my good and bad disks. However, since you also have cervical issues, you might be wise to begin thinking about long-term treatment.

I would go to another neurosurgeon and try to find one who does work on all areas of the spine. The good news is that you now have some pictures of your spine you can show. Most doctors want their own shots also, so don't be surprised if they want you to have x-rays or an MRI done. There are also pain management doctors that find combinations that work on your pain, but they do not perform surgery.

The degenerative disk disease does not get better as you age, but there are many ways to treat the pain. There are pain medications (great if you don't get hooked on them), facet injections (which can help numb the area), nerve blocks (they do exactly what they sounds like), radio frequency ablation and, last, but not least, the new field of laser spinal surgery.

Don't give up hope, because the fight has just begun for you. Most people who don't have back pain (even doctors) have a difficult time understanding how painful it can be. So, be patient with people who think you just have a little pain that will probably be gone in a day or two. And, if you have had two kids, then you are an old pro now at handling pain. It's just that back pain can be so debillitating and disrupts your whole life.

On another note, I hope you have insurance to pay for any expenses you pile up while seeking a diagnosis. It can get very expensive when they start suggesting all the tests, procedures and surgeries.