Help me with MRI of Spine

[jjean]

I have these undiagnosed symptoms. Does anyone reading this know what could be wrong?

1-Aching stiffness across the back of my pelvis (getting worse since 2001).

2-Leg muscle pain, heaviness and stiffness, caused by standing & walking, and relieved by sitting (getting worse since 2001.) In 2001 I could walk for 3 hours. In 2008, I can not walk 30 minutes.

3-Tightness around middle of my chest. And pain and stiffness in the back of my neck. It is difficult to turn over in bed because of the tightness around my chest.

My doctor witnessed that I can "not":
1-Do squats (kneel down and get up).
2-Walk on toes (I can can not even stand on my toes).

This is functional imparement, and the doctor did not tell me what is causing it!

This is what the doctors found so far:

2001: High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides

2003: X-rays showed: osteoarthritis in hands, knees, left ankle and lumbar spine.

2005: MRI of neck showed: C3-4, minimal encroachment of left neural foramen by uncovertebral osteophyte. C4-5, moderate encroachment of right neural foramen by uncovertebral spurring. C5-6, moderate foraminal encroachment bilaterally from uncovertebral spurring. C6-7, mild foraminal encroachment on the left. MRI of lumbar spine from T11-S2 showed: L1-2, focal disc bulge on the right, causing mild foraminal encroachment. L2-3, small central central disc bulge, edema involving the end plates, degenerative signal changes of the disc, and associated marrow changes in the end plates adjacent to the disc. L3-L4, degenerative signal change of the disc with mild disc bulging and end plate spurring. L4-L5, mild broad based disc bulge to the right causing mild encroachment of the right inferior L4 neural foramen, minimal sac compression, and degenerative changes of the disc. L5-S1, mild broad based disc bulge to the right causing impingement upon the caudal aspect of the right neural foramen, and mild end plate spurring.

2007: Physical therapist found: joint hypermobility syndrome, kyphosis, thoracic joint dysfunction, and "sacral joint pain" and dysfunction. Also, I am 1 1/2 inches shorter than in 2003.

I did "not" go back to the physical therapist, because after one session, my pelvic pain got worse!

3-14-08: I went back to the doctor in the physical medicine department. I told him I my pelvic pain is worse, (like a knife sticking into my back above my hips. (There is also numbness in the front of my pelvis. I can not walk 30 minutes. My leg muscles are painful, heavy and numb). The doctor gave me a sheet of exercises, that I am physically unable to do. (I am supposed to get down on my hands and knees and raise one arm forward and one leg backward.) I can not get down onto my knees and get up again! He was very antagonistic. He said I have spinal stenosis in my lumbar spine, and that is what is causing the pelvic pain. I said the pelvic pain had gotten suddenly worse. And, he did not believe me when I told him the physical therapist found sacroiliac joint dysfunction. (I told him the pain originally started in my sacroiliac area and NOT my lumbar spine.) I asked him if I could have nerve compression in my sacral spine, and if I should get a pelvic MRI. He refused! He told me to come back in 8 weeks. What am I supposed to do in the meantime?

Is it normal for a woman, age 55 to have so much wrong with her spine? Should my whole spine be evaluated? Should I have an MRI of my pelvis?

Why do I feel numbness spreading forward into my low abdomen? Why do my leg muscles burn and feel heavy and numb? Why can't I walk longer than 30 minutes? (In September 2007, the doctor in internal medicine had said my lumbar stenosis "was not bad enough to cause my symptoms." So, I had asked him, "what IS causing my symptoms?" and he said "I don't know.") What are my doctors overlooking? Please help me.

[rafat56]

i would be grateful to you if any one can help me in reading my lumbar MRI
thanks

[chromegirl666]

That may be a bit too high tech for most of us on here. We aren't doctors, and all most of us do is give ideas based on our own personal experiences. Still there are some on here that may be able to help, just have some patience waiting for them to come along. It might take a little while. Good luck to you - wish I could help

[dizzy lizzie]

If you can, I'd recommend going back to the Physical Therapist- for 2 reasons: 1. from what you said it sounds like he listened to you better than your doctor does, 2. physical therapy does make it hurt more at first but will help in the long run. I did 6 weeks of physical therapy for herniated discs in my neck.

I would also try to get a 2nd opinion on your MRI results from a different physiatrist. Perhaps it's a personality conflict with your current doctor?

[paresh]

hi
the symptoms you have mentioned shows that you are suffering from sacroilliac joint dysfunction and fibromyalgia. Inability to walk and turn in bed while sleeping are symptoms of si joint dysfunction. as you have mentioned that you have hyper laxity of joints also all these signify si joint dysorders. and it could be treated by a musculoskeletal physical therapist only.