MRI of sciatica

[Stephenite]

For the morbid amongst you here's a couple of MR pics of my squashed vertabra discs pressing against my sciatic nerve. It's been bloody painful i tell you.

These are photos of the pc screen so the resolution isnt all that great. Also, apologies for the sizing.

Maybe Magnatom can share a little wisdom here? Am i doomed? Or is there hope?

 

[magnatom]

Doomed I tell you...dooooomed....

Seriously though, I'm no spine expert so in truth I have no idea. I do know that this type of thing is pretty common and there are certainly treatments around. Good luck with that.

How did you find the scan itself?

 

[magnatom]

P.S. It was a Siemens scanner you were scanned on wasn't it! Now how could I tell that!?

 

[numbnuts]

If they want/tell you, you need an operation ask them what guarantee you have of being left incontinent......I didn’t ask.....and I wasn’t told

 

[Stephenite]

Cheers chaps.

I see a specialist in the new year so hoping to get something along the lines of a prognosis then. It is fairly serious, i reckon, but not as bad as i first thought. No apparent split of the disc itself, so i'm told, but i dont see how they can tell from the pics (mind you, i havent looked at all of them yet).

I will, probably, resist any surgery at this stage beacause there has been marked improvement in mobility and a lessening of pain. Been back on the bike these last three weeks

I asked for a copy of the pics to take to the specialist. Its the way they do things here in norway. Also, i'm thinking about a 'career change' and a degree in radiography so found it interesting.

Not sure which scanner it was. It was big and white, clean and modern, with c.18 inch tube. How can you tell that from the photos??

When you say 'find the scan' you meant how i felt through the procedure? If so - absolutely no problem. I am the most claustrophobic person i've ever met so was a little apprehensive. I have the sleeping bag open and very often tent open too when camping for eg. The whole thing took maybe five minutes, the staff were very nice and the emergency button they give you was a great comfort.

 

[Speicher]

P.S. It was a Siemens scanner you were scanned on wasn't it! Now how could I tell that!?

You recognised the tiny logo on the bottom horizontal edge of the photo? Or you have done some training at the hospital Stephenite went to.

 

[ChrisKH]

They're the only company that make them?

 

[magnatom]

It's the windows bar at the bottom of the picture. Siemens scanners are excellent scanners, but their one flaw is they run on Microsoft Windows!

 

[magnatom]

They're the only company that make them?

Actually there aren't that many: GE, Siemens, Toshiba and Philips are just about the only clical scanner manufacturers. However, there are rumblings that things are about to happen in China that might challenge that. Expect Made in China scanners sometime soon....

 

[nigelb]

My wife had a prolapsed disk, had it "done", and now can do pretty much what she likes (is just careful to "listen" to her back when it complains).
(before she had it done, she was in all kinds of pain/trouble)

Hang in there, and good luck getting it sorted.

Nige

 

[beancounter]

I have pretty much the same thing. I was strongly advised to avoid surgery if at all possible.

Consequently I'm very careful about my back. I don't lift anything heavier than my cat. I'm scrupulous about my posture at work (desk). I can't stand for long periods so I avoid situations where I might have to. I visit a (good) chiropractor once a month to keep everything straight.

All this enables me to cycle as much as I want, for which I am grateful.

bc

 

[zimzum42]

I ruptured three discs this time last year, L2 thru L5. Sorry I can't post the scans...

Am still not perfect, but am getting better, thanks only to loads of physio and going to the gym about 3 0r 4 times a week...

It has cost a lot, but the thought of surgery is too much to bear!

 

[Vidor06]

I slipped a disc at L5 playing rugby in March and spent April to August off work. Could not walk more than a few yards without being in absolute agony. Had mri and went to see specialist, he said that he recommended an anaesthetic injection into my spine rather than the surgery. Could have had the surgery one day and then reslipped the disc the next day again. Saw him in October and have heard nothing since then. My back has been getting better gradually and I can now commute most days of the week by bike and go to the gym a coupls of times a week as well. Still get some pain when I walk around a lot but it is significantly more managable now. I think you should avoid surgery at all costs.

 

[andy_wrx]

I have an artificial disc in L5/S1 and it's been a great success.

I won't say avoid surgery - but do treat it as last resort.

 

[Coco]

It's the windows bar at the bottom of the picture. Siemens scanners are excellent scanners, but their one flaw is they run on Microsoft Windows!

Hopefully no blue screen of death