I believe that I am facing surgery, as all the "conservative" therapy hasn't improved my condition, and I am losing strength in my left foot and toes.
I had a MRI on Tuesday, and here are the results:
Findings: The lumbar spine alignment and curavture are normal. No infiltrative marrow lesion or vertebral compression deformity is seen. The distal spinal cord is normal.
There is degenerative disc disease isolated to the L5-S1 level with moderate disc space narrowing. There is a broad based left posterolateral disc protrusion with a superimposted moderate disc extrusion on the left side at this level with disc material descending along the posterior left aspect of the S1 vertebrae. Overall, there is only mild spinal canal compromise, however there is prominent effacement of the left lateral recess anhd left neural foramina at this level.
No other sites of degenerative change are evident.
Conclusion: Degenerative disc disease isolated to the L5-S1 level where there is both a broad based left posterolateral disc protrusion as well as a superimposed focal left disc extrusion of the left lateral recess at this level. The left lateral recess and left neural foramina are prominently compromised as a result.
Here are a couple of pics from the MRI:
Cross section of L5-S1 (the lighter colored area is what I presume to be the "degenerative" parts)
![Image](http://www.warhammer.org/~bberkley/benos/misc/l5s1.jpg)
Here is a cross-section of the disc at L5-S1.
![Image](http://www.warhammer.org/~bberkley/benos/misc/l5s1disc.jpg)
I see the doc again on Tuesday and will find out what is in store for me. He says that the injury I suffered in 1987 was the initial herniation which has caused the degenerative condition I have now.
From what I have gathered, either a discectomy or lumbar fusion is what I will be facing.
I've been going to PT, Chiropractor, Deep Tissue Massage, hitting the hot tub at the gym, using ice, heat, painkillers, muscle relaxers, etc. I'm pretty much hitting the end of my rope here, the pins/needles spasms in my foot and sunburn-type feeling on my left calf, ankle wake me up every hour or so. I haven't had more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep in almost 3 weeks.