injured betty

I am NOT in the medical field but I understand some of this. Some, I don't. I will share with you what I do know.

#1 Pain does not always display itself where you think it will. There is pain that reflects itself on the opposite side from where you think it comes from.

#2 Herniated discs don't always mean pain.

#3 Everyone over thirty can expect some kind of DDD, in most cases.

#4 Back pain is one of the biggest industries in the world. No one wants to be in pain. So, research carefully because there are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there.

at c3-4 moderate disc dehydration with minimal disc hieght loss and annnular bulge.
at c4-5 moderate disc desiccation and mild disc hieght loss with posterior end plate ridging, right sided uncinate hypertrophy and annular bulge.
spinal canal caliber borderline stenotic. no significant foraminal stenosis.
at c5-6 moderate disc desiccation and mild disc hieght loss with posterior end plate ridging. diffuse annular bulge and right lateral uninate hypertrophy.
there also appears to be right lateral disc protrusion,contributing to mild to moderate stenosis medial aspect of right c6 neural foramen. spinal canal caliber borderline.
c7-t1 level is normal.posterior elements appear intact.

When you fell, what did you land on? Your tail bone, neck, hands, chest? How you fell determines if the fall caused your injuries.

C 3/4 Disc dehydration and a bulge might be normal for your age. It is another name for DDD.

C 4/5 Another bulge, this time with arthritis.

C 5/6 Bulge, maybe a herniation, arthritis, and stenosis. Stenosis is not good. But, it doesn't mention that it is impinging on any nerves or nerve sheaths. Your spinal canal is narrowing.

C7/T1 Looks like it is normal

Your neck looks good, you might have just pulled some muscles. I would watch the stenosis, though. Doesn't look like this came from the fall. Unless you had some blunt force trauma, it looks like a sign of aging.


l3-4 mild disc desiccation and mild disc hieght loss with minor annular bulge and mild anterior spurring.there is also a tiny right paracentral disc protrusion,better seen on the axial sequences. no stenosis.
l4-5 mild degenerative disc height loss with disc desiccation and mild annular bulge. additionaly,tiny central disc protrusion,without nerve root impengment.there is and excessive amount of epidural fat beginning at the lower l4 level and continuing to the s1 level. however the thecal does not appear significantly constricted.minor bilateral degenerative facet changes are noted.
l5-s1 the spinal canal caliber is copious. there may be bilateral l5 para interarticularis defects. no significant subluxation noted. the l5 disc is reasonably well hydrated and with normally maintained hieght . there is minor annualr bulge . no stenosis.

L 3/4 Bulge, arthritis, no stenosis. Bulge might be a herniation. Doctors play loose with interpretations between herniations and bulges.

L 4/5 DDD, Bulge, nerve not involved, thank goodness

L5/S1 Bulge, no stenosis, in fact, canal area is copious, which is good. There is no DDD there either. I have no idea waht interarticularis defect is. Might want to look that one up.

As for the epidural fat: I was told that I had none and you were told that you have an excessive amount. I am not sure of the significance of that statement.

Depending on your age, the doctor may look at the MRI and tell you that it is normal for your age and size. I have no idea. The upside is that your L5/S1 results look great!!!!! And, there is no mention of nerves being involved. Given time, I bet that your pain will resolve itself.

Again, I am not in the health field, I only knew these things from extensive net research and my own experience.