Back Injury MRI Scan Images

[mst504]

First off, I realize that this isn't a injury related to working out, but I thought this community might be good for me to seek advice from on what is going on here, especially since this has greatly taken from me the ability to hit the gym.

I injured my back at work on Friday July 5th 2013 it was reported but everyone thought it wasn't serious, I took some ibprophen and was told to put some icy hot on it, finished the work day out.
After experiencing a lot of pain over the weekend, I was sent to a Urgent Care doctor on Monday July 8th 2013, after x-rays I was diagnosed with a lumbar strain.

12 sessions of physical therapy later, and I was still in a lot of pain, so a followup with the UC I almost begged for a MRI.

The MRI was taken October 11th 2013, I admittedly do not know what the majority of the images are, but here are a couple that stuck out to me.

I had a followup with the UC Doctor today, where she acted (like she has all along) like it wasn't a big deal, but when I told her that I can barely walk sometimes now, she said that they will refer me to a orthopedic surgeon and that there is not anything else that they can do for me.

Any thoughts on what is going on here? I'd imagine the curve was there before the injury, but maybe it has gotten worse?, and then there is the disc I drew a arrow to, it almost looks like my spine is chipped and now filled in with my disc.

Thank you.

MRI Scan
mri2.jpg

[MagicSmoker]

I'm an engineer, not a doctor, but it sure looks like you have a herniated disc. Read up on it at the usual reputable medical info sites like Mayo clinic WebMD, etc., but generally speaking surgery is a last resort, and only really considered if you are experiencing any kind of paralysis/numbness, rather than just pain. Sometimes prednisone (a steroid) is injected into the area to reduce inflammation and swelling.

[Fresch]

First off, I realize that this isn't a injury related to working out, but I thought this community might be good for me to seek advice from on what is going on here, especially since this has greatly taken from me the ability to hit the gym.

I injured my back at work on Friday July 5th 2013 it was reported but everyone thought it wasn't serious, I took some ibprophen and was told to put some icy hot on it, finished the work day out.
After experiencing a lot of pain over the weekend, I was sent to a Urgent Care doctor on Monday July 8th 2013, after x-rays I was diagnosed with a lumbar strain.

12 sessions of physical therapy later, and I was still in a lot of pain, so a followup with the UC I almost begged for a MRI.

The MRI was taken October 11th 2013, I admittedly do not know what the majority of the images are, but here are a couple that stuck out to me.

I had a followup with the UC Doctor today, where she acted (like she has all along) like it wasn't a big deal, but when I told her that I can barely walk sometimes now, she said that they will refer me to a orthopedic surgeon and that there is not anything else that they can do for me.

Any thoughts on what is going on here? I'd imagine the curve was there before the injury, but maybe it has gotten worse?, and then there is the disc I drew a arrow to, it almost looks like my spine is chipped and now filled in with my disc.

Thank you.

MRI Scan
Attachment 6283013

L5/S1 disc looks pretty worn out
L4/5 disc maybe a small protrusion

I am more concerned about the large sideways curvature shown in the spine in the left hand image!

How did the injury occur?

[mst504]

Thanks for the replies fellas.

I work in a warehouse, been there for over 7 years (for the record never once called out sick or otherwise).

Part of what we have to do is shrink wrap pallets of outgoing material by hand, which is basically big rolls of shrink wrap that we walk around and around pallets, from the floor up (imagine the physical mechanics doing this). I went to stand up and bam, it was almost like I was hit with electricity.

This wasn't always my job, I worked in our receiving department for almost 7 years where I did not have to do this, but as of this April (against my wishes) they moved me from receiving to shipping where I lasted almost 3 months before this injury occurred.

I didn't want to make the first post real long, but when the injury occurred I saw a flash of white and got really light headed. Like I said though, took some ibprophen and icy hot and I was good enough to finish the day out, but later that evening things got so much worse, and have been bad ever since.

Last year I deadlifted 430lbs with a hexagonal bar, this was a huge accomplishment for me especially since I hadn't been deadlifting for that long. I'm not sure if I could do a 100lbs right now, especially without a lot of pain.

[jayte]

when they do these, usually an interpreter's letter is provided. it will tell you basically what's going on. a doctor usually interprets the letter (lol).

do you have a copy of the report?

[mst504]

Nope, that must be what she was looking at, this is all new to me to be honest. I wish I would have asked for a copy.

[Brenden061]

Nope, that must be what she was looking at, this is all new to me to be honest. I wish I would have asked for a copy.

They are your medical records and if you request a copy, they're required to do so. Don't be shy. Or, email your phys therapist. Your the patient and email is standard for communication. Don't take "no" for an answer if they don't answer quick enough (24+ hours).

[riseboi]

The problem with MRI reports are that they are often interpreted by radiologists who do not know the context of the injury. Just because someone has disk bulges, does not mean they have will have complaints of pain. Research has backed this. The uploaded images are single slices of the scan and do not tell the whole story, so to speak. Based on those images, one could interpret them as a scoliosis of some sort, a sacral/ilial upslip, tilt, or rotation. For all I know, that curvature could be due to muscular guarding from a rotated L5.

If you are not happy with the PCP's plan of care, seek a second opinion with a physician, whom you will have researched or received positive recommendations from.

[mst504]

I have another follow up with the UC Dr in a week or so, I'll ask for a copy of the MRI report, if anything it would be good for me to keep a copy for myself.

And really, I am not happy with this care I have received from this UC, but I am somewhat limited on what I can and can't do since this all involves workers comp. I'm still waiting (it can take awhile) on them to call to setup a appointment with a orthopedic surgeon. I hope the ortho acts like this is a little more serious than the UC Dr, I'm often in a lot of pain, I know my body and knew for awhile something serious is going on.

I do have a disc with a ton of MRI images, but these were a couple where I knew what I was looking at, the majority of the images I'm really clueless of what they are to be honest.

I have shown the MRI to someone who is in med school that works with my gf, and they think that my spine looks chipped and that I could potentially have bone particles floating around in my spinal fluid.

I guess really there are at least a half dozen different scenarios that we could come up with, I'm just really eager to figure out what is going on and start a road to recovery. My life has been completely different since this has happened, and I don't feel I have been on any sort of road to recovery yet after 3 1/2 months.

AND I MISS THE GYM!!

[Fresch]

I think your friend in med school missed the lecture on reading MRI's.

With a potential pelvic rotation causing that big scoliosis, an Osteopath would be a good practitioner to consult as they usually deal in pelvic re-alignment

[DrJKiel]

First off, I realize that this isn't a injury related to working out, but I thought this community might be good for me to seek advice from on what is going on here, especially since this has greatly taken from me the ability to hit the gym.

I injured my back at work on Friday July 5th 2013 it was reported but everyone thought it wasn't serious, I took some ibprophen and was told to put some icy hot on it, finished the work day out.
After experiencing a lot of pain over the weekend, I was sent to a Urgent Care doctor on Monday July 8th 2013, after x-rays I was diagnosed with a lumbar strain.

12 sessions of physical therapy later, and I was still in a lot of pain, so a followup with the UC I almost begged for a MRI.

The MRI was taken October 11th 2013, I admittedly do not know what the majority of the images are, but here are a couple that stuck out to me.

I had a followup with the UC Doctor today, where she acted (like she has all along) like it wasn't a big deal, but when I told her that I can barely walk sometimes now, she said that they will refer me to a orthopedic surgeon and that there is not anything else that they can do for me.

Any thoughts on what is going on here? I'd imagine the curve was there before the injury, but maybe it has gotten worse?, and then there is the disc I drew a arrow to, it almost looks like my spine is chipped and now filled in with my disc.

Thank you.

MRI Scan
Attachment 6283013

I'm about to finish medical school, although I'm pursuing emergency medicine (not radiology or ortho). On that MRI, you have an obvious lumbar scoliosis, but that arrow you drew on there for that disk is not really impinging on the cord. When you have a disk pushing on the cord, it's usually very obvious. I've seen some really brutal looking ones and you wonder how the person is even walking. I hate to be dismissive because it sounds like you've had plenty of that, but that MRI is unimpressive.

Where is your pain located?

[Fizzik]

I'm about to finish medical school, although I'm pursuing emergency medicine (not radiology or ortho). On that MRI, you have an obvious lumbar scoliosis, but that arrow you drew on there for that disk is not really impinging on the cord. When you have a disk pushing on the cord, it's usually very obvious. I've seen some really brutal looking ones and you wonder how the person is even walking. I hate to be dismissive because it sounds like you've had plenty of that, but that MRI is unimpressive.

Where is your pain located?

Out of curiosity what does an MRI look like that is actually impinging on the nerve?

[DrJKiel]

Out of curiosity what does an MRI look like that is actually impinging on the nerve?

just google imaged it, here is a good example: http://www.profpap.com.au/page5/page...20MRI%20T2.jpg