annular fissure? - Back Problems Message Board

JasonE · 09-20-2004, 08:21 PM

Hello all,

Well My doc is still recommending my fusion surgery and he gave me a very vague explanation about what was wrong with my disck so I requested a copy of my Discogram and CT results.

They say that I have severe degenerative changes, and a annular fissure. Can anyone help me to understand what a fissure exactly is. To my understanding that means its cracked. I think!

Thanks for the help and I hope everyone is having better days than what we normally do.

JasonE

beachgirl01 · 09-20-2004, 11:25 PM

Hi Jason,
Hope this helps you better understand your problem. Your problem is in one of your discs. Your discs have an inner layer called nulceus pulposus and that is protected by the annular ring. The annular ring is composed of fibrocartilage and tissue and so when a fissure happens and yes you're right it is a tear, it causes the gel like substance to expand and bulge the disc and it can put pressure on the nerves, which in turn causes a lot of pain. Anyway I wish you the best of luck and let me know how things go. Hope this helps a little bit. Take care. Kristy.

JasonE · 09-21-2004, 12:35 PM

Thanks for the info Kristyg,

That does make more since. The doctor also said that this causes loss in that fluid. Does that mean its ruptured due to the fissure or does the dengenerative changes cause that also. I have not found anywhere on the reports that said in these words "rupture". Thanks again for your help, and yes I will keep everyone up to date on the surgery. (Thats if W/C will ever hurry up and apove it)

JasonE

mel1977 · 09-21-2004, 12:50 PM

this just brings me to think about how different doctors are. Here I am with DDD AND bulges in my L4-5 and L5-S1, bone spur and annular tear at L5-S1 and no one will talk about fixing that part of my body! I have the bulge at C5-6 and spondylosis that is more significant, but still, no real possiblities on treatment. Sure, Had the EMG, Nerve Cond. test and getting the ESIs, but all of them avoid talking about why my pain is so bad-low back to feet, scapulas to top of head. I don't understand, it blows my mind how drs differ on treatment. I think maybe it is my age, almost 27 and aside from my back in good health. No one will touch me with a ten foot pole when it comes to ANY kind of surgical intervention. Though, I KNOW, last resort. Blows my mind......

beachgirl01 · 09-21-2004, 01:15 PM

Hi Jason and Mel,
I think what your doctor is referring to when he talks about a rupture is the loss of the gel like substance which is caused by the fissure.
As for Mel, I hear ya. I 'm only 22 and suffer with a few of your problems as well. My ortho surgeon is yet again putting off surgery. He wants me to go through "agrressive" physical therapy for at least 3 months to see if I notice any changes. And he claims that after those 3 months if there has been no changes he will operate. Don't get me wrong I would love to not have surgery, everybody would be better off if they never had to go through life with surgery. However, I've been off work for 2 years and lets say that this physical therapy doesn't help that puts me back yet again. Anyway what can I do but follow his orders. I start on Monday and am a bit scared. I've already tried physio before and it hurt so bad afterwards that I could not get up by myself or walk. Hopefully it will be different this time around, I'm taking it at the hospital rehab centre so it should be.
Anyway Jason I hope that info helped a bit be sure to stay in touch and it was nice chatting with you Mel. Kristy.