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  • Shellyc
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    Hello Dr. C, I am struggling severely with a back injury that occurred over a year ago (mri notes below). Along with increasing pain over the last few months, I’ve had a variety of other symptoms along with it that I believe are indicative of a spinal cord injury. I am considering going to ER for care because getting in with a neurosurgeon can take weeks/months. Just wondering your thoughts. Here are my symptoms which vary from day to day and in severity:
    Tingling and numbness in right buttock and leg
    High blood pressure
    High and low body temperatures
    Anxiety
    Circulatory, Numb and purple feet
    Numbness in lower abdomen/pelvic area
    Heavy walk
    Lack of right hand control/coordination
    Speech issues
    Mental and emotional struggles
    Digestive issues

    MRI examination of the lumbar spine is performed without intravenous gadolinium enhancement.

    L1-2: Broad-based disc bulge with a central disc disc protrusion with annular fiber tear. This
    flattens the anterior thecal sac but there is no significant spinal stenosis or neural foraminal
    narrowing. No frank disc herniation. This could be a site of pain however.

    L2-3: Broad-based disc bulge with a small annular fiber tear. No disc herniation. No spinal
    stenosis.

    L3-4: Mild spinal stenosis due to accommodation of broad-based disc bulge and facet joint
    hypertrophic change. Neural foramen are patent.

    L4-5: Mild to moderate spinal stenosis due to broad-based disc bulge and facet joint ligamentous
    hypertrophy. This causes significant narrowing of the lateral recesses and conceivably L5 nerve
    root impingement within the lateral recesses bilaterally. The neural foramen are patent.

    L5-S1: Mild facet joint degeneration. No spinal stenosis. No neural foraminal narrowing.

    Thank you SO MUCH! Shelly C

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    First-according to your MRI findings, you don’t have a spinal cord injury. In the lumbar spine, the spinal cord ends around the L1 vertebra and you don’t have significant compression at this level (“Broad-based disc bulge with a central disc disc protrusion with annular fiber tear. This flattens the anterior thecal sac but there is no significant spinal stenosis or neural foraminal narrowing”).

    What you do have is central and lateral recess stenosis most prominent at L4-5. See if these two threads sound familiar;
    https://neckandback.com/conditions/lumbar-spinal-stenosis-central-stenosis/
    https://neckandback.com/conditions/lateral-recess-stenosis/.

    Most of the other disorders and symptoms you list would not be associated with your lumbar spine.

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
    Shellyc
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    Thank you Dr. Corenman I so appreciate your time. I’ve exhausted all the recommended therapies and have reached my pain threshold. I live near Vail and have a referral in to your office. Thanks again!

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    Look forward to meeting you.

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
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