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What Do These MRI Findings Indicate?
Question: After reviewing the MRI scan and report, doctor advices to go for spine surgery. Want to know if any other options are available for recovery apart from surgery.
Brief Answer:
NSAID drugs, physical therapy and injections.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for using HCM.
I have read your question, saw the MR report and understand your concerns.
Surgery to treat herniated disc disease is the last resort.
Surgery is strongly indicated when there is neurologic deficit (in your case inability to pull up left big toe and foot, if so), or after conservative treatment measures have failed to improve your symptoms (mainly pain) in an acceptable degree.
Conservative treatment includes few days rest in exacerbated pain, avoiding lifting weights or excessive bending over, NSAID drugs, physical therapy and exercises designed to increase lumbosacral muscles strength and reduce joint loading.
Periradicular injection of steroids guided by CT scan ( in your case at left L4-L5 level) could be tried prior to surgery too.
Another important step in your case is the correlation between neurologic findings after clinical evaluation and MRI findings.
In conclusion, if you were my patient, I would recommend above mentioned conservative measures first.
If not acceptable improvement after about two months, I would recommend minimally invasive surgery.
Discuss with your Doctor about these issues.
Take care. If you have further questions and clarifications, feel free to ask, if not you can close the conversation and rate the answer.
NSAID drugs, physical therapy and injections.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for using HCM.
I have read your question, saw the MR report and understand your concerns.
Surgery to treat herniated disc disease is the last resort.
Surgery is strongly indicated when there is neurologic deficit (in your case inability to pull up left big toe and foot, if so), or after conservative treatment measures have failed to improve your symptoms (mainly pain) in an acceptable degree.
Conservative treatment includes few days rest in exacerbated pain, avoiding lifting weights or excessive bending over, NSAID drugs, physical therapy and exercises designed to increase lumbosacral muscles strength and reduce joint loading.
Periradicular injection of steroids guided by CT scan ( in your case at left L4-L5 level) could be tried prior to surgery too.
Another important step in your case is the correlation between neurologic findings after clinical evaluation and MRI findings.
In conclusion, if you were my patient, I would recommend above mentioned conservative measures first.
If not acceptable improvement after about two months, I would recommend minimally invasive surgery.
Discuss with your Doctor about these issues.
Take care. If you have further questions and clarifications, feel free to ask, if not you can close the conversation and rate the answer.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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