Hi, my xrays and scan came back and I was told I have a narrow disc where the bones are on top of each other. What does this mean. I have been wearing a shoe lift in one shoe probably incorrectly, could this cause the narrowing and if I take out lift will it recover? There is also a lump showing on my scan but they dont know what it is and I have to have an MRI. I have felt this lump for many years and a surgeon I went to said there wasnt one! It is in my lower lumbar area off to the right of my spine, any ideas what it is. I m hoping it can be removed and my 7 years of pain will be over. Thanks.

Hey Cinderella...

Haven't talked in a while...hope things are a little better now . http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif The lump...was this detected from the MRI? Does this lump feel like you are sitting on a golf ball or something? You said you knew it was there...you can feel it by simply running a finger over the site? Or is it more of an internal thing? You can feel it from "the inside". I have a couple-a theories, but need some info. Talk to you later.



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successtory
Oct 2000: Repetitive Stress Injury-Inverted Hernia
Feb 2001: MRI. Shows only slight bulge at L4-L5
Dec 2001: Discogram/CT scan shows Inverted Hernia at L5-S1. L4-L5 & L5-S1 ruptured in all 4 quadrants. Unable to walk.
Feb 2002: IDET, Nucleoplasty, Intra-Discal Injections
Sept 2002: Rated in the top 10% for successful patients. Retraining for new career.

Hi, thanks for your interest. I can feel the lump from the outside, It was originally found in 1998 by a chiro who thought it was a calcification from a si joint strain, so I went to a surgeon who hardly cared and said there was nothing there. The area is the paravertebral area I think. I have not had an MRI only an ultrasound which shows something but not clear enough. I do not sit on it as it is further up. A massage therapist said it is rock hard like bone. It does not hurt to push on it. I feel it is contributing to my back pain and maintaining the problem. I know if it a calcification from injury the body often re-absorbs it, but maybe a my posture, or walking is causing the problem to continue? thank for your ideas.

Hi there,

Hmmmmm....my gut is saying to follow your chiro. I think he is on to something. Your body may not have absorbed the calcified substance...maybe there was too much, or something else was blocked...could be a number of reasons why. But the real question is what, right? Is there any way to take a biopsy of it without causing more pain to you? Once they know what material it consists of...won't they know how to extract or tear it down? Maybe even how it got there too? You mentioned prolly from the injury...go with what you think, you are your best judge.

I was going to suggest scar tissue (of some sort), but the calcification is a good theory as well. Could there be a bone spur that maybe calcified onto another bone? Stranger things can happen.

I sure hope everything turns out alright for you Cinderella. It is time it does! Take care and good luck.

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successtory
Oct 2000: Repetitive Stress Injury-Inverted Hernia
Feb 2001: MRI. Shows only slight bulge at L4-L5
Dec 2001: Discogram/CT scan shows Inverted Hernia at L5-S1. L4-L5 & L5-S1 ruptured in all 4 quadrants. Unable to walk.
Feb 2002: IDET, Nucleoplasty, Intra-Discal Injections
Sept 2002: Rated in the top 10% for successful patients. Retraining for new career.

Hi thanks for your help. It certainly feels like a bone but it didnt show on the xray, I thought a bone spur or even calcium would show up. I am going to an orthopediac surgeon again and will not give up until I get an answer!!! Thanks for your interest.