What Does This MRI Report Of Spine Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 27 Oct 2014

Question: My MRI of the Lumbar Spine show Scoliosis, convex to the left, right paracentral disc herniation and facet joint hypertrophy L5-S1, my MRI of my Thoracic Spine shows dextroscoliosis, I had a high risk dual level Anterior Cervical Disketomy Fusion C5-C7 and have disk herniations at C2 and C3. I have Chiari malformation as well. I took the Ampli Chip P450 test and I am CYP2d6 *4/*5 Poor Metabolizer. I have a solid right side nodule 3cm, that I can't remove yet because of the above and I am taking 2 20 mg Opana, and 3 15 mg of Oxycodone for breakthrough a day. For a year I treated myself because of criminals, who stole my ID and tampered with my medical records, only now my doctors are finding out. Any suggestions, I am 33 and I've already lost more than I ever thought I could. My family/friends doesn't know or understand, nor do they want to.....

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (11 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Get muscle relaxants prescribed.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
The pain that you are having is due to the disc herniations. The main treatment of such problem is bed rest along with pain killers and muscle relaxants. Muscle relaxants can help with your symptoms if used in appropriate dosage in combination with a potent analgesic. You can get these prescribed from your orthopedician.
Local analgesic gels and hot fomentation may provide a short term relief. You can use analgesic gels like Volini gel. Exercise is not advisable in the times of acute pain.
Using an LS contour belt and cervical collar of appropriate size might be helpful in providing support to back and neck muscles.
Physiotherapy also plays a major role in treating such conditions. Epidural steroid injections have been used if oral pain killers are not very effective. Discuss with your orthopedician and an appropriate treatment can be planned depending on the response to medical drugs.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (2 hours later)

They tried flexeral but it did not work, neither did what the other stuff he prescribed. I am concerned about epideral injections due to the chiari malformation, and blockage of cerebral spinal fluid. I had tried those prior to my C Spine surgery but they did not help. Due to being a poor metabolizer it is really hard finding the right narcotic, and in NY I always have to wait a month to change it if it doesn't work. I am 33 years old, and I have tried to manage all of this with the least amount of medication, due to my thyroid troubles, but physically I can no longer tough it out. What is/are analgesic gels like Volini. I've never heard of it, that might work on my knee effusion when that swells up, or my left shoulder when that burns, or dead smack in the middle of my spine, when heat doesnt cut it. I am not really able to lay in a bath tub anymore, so my epson salt baths are out. The opana really doesn't cut it but, its better than nothing and does help with the Chiari symptoms. The stigma surrounding narcotics in NY, has literally left me far more disabled than I need to be, the other meds, got be far sick, dangerously. In your opinion, and please be honest, with the lumbar scoliosis, dextro scoliosis Chiari right side tumor, and dysplastic nevis 50% chance skin cancer, removed, is MS my future. Walking now hurts, and its sad because I thought in 2011 I was gonna get better, and instead here I am.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Pain control is needed.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
The problems you have can progress further with age. MS is not directly related to these problems but it can affect you later. Right now it is best to control your pain as much as possible with the help of medicines and other techniques like TENS and local analgesic gels available over the counter- also called counter irritants. Doing a hot compress in the area of pain will also help in short term relief.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar