Anyone Know What This Means? From My Mri

[shmojo]

I finally got an MRI from the VA, I was wondering if anyone can tell me what it means. I've tried to look up some of the stuff online but it all seems to be medical greek to me.

--"There is mild degenerative disk disease at L4 L5 and L5 S1 levels. with mild narrowing of the spaces, and mild posterolateral bulging of the disks. The intervertebral disks are otherwise unremarkable. There is no displacement of dural sac or lumbar nerve roots."--

I have back pain constantly. Is this why?

[tom91]

Not sure what they measured but not able to bend very far. Would they not also give me a rating for the spinal arthritis (which is what lumbar spondylosis is)?

Nice to talk with a VET from my hometown area - Jonesborough.

[rentalguy1]

WElcome to the site!! It is nice to see someone else from my neck of the woods on here! How bad has the race traffic been in J-boro this weekend? It's been horrible, as usual, here in Bristol.

It's possible that they may rate you under the arthritis codes, but typically when they see DDD, they rate under IVDS. That is more beneficial to the vet anyway, because you can get rated for either the range of motion, or the precsribed bedrest.

If you don't know what your rom's were from the C&P, you need to get a copy of it. When you go in the main entrance at Mountain Home, take a right at the first hallway. Then take the first elevator to the right. Go to the ground floor. Take a left out of the elevator, and then a left at the next hallway (just past the restrooms). The Release of Information office is on the right just before the double doors.

PM me who your PCP is and what all they are doing for you. I have been dealing with this stuff for a while and know the good docs at our VAMC, and some of the things that they will provide for us when we ask. B)

[william n]

Hey Rg..question for ya on ROM??? CP Results for me.....Right knee flex to be 0 to 100 w/pain @85degrees Left knee extension is at 5 degrees with flex from 5 to 110 degrees w/pain at 85 degrees. There is no additional range of motion loss due to pain.. Does this sound like 10% +10% ??? mmmmm. Thanks, William

[rentalguy1]

Hey Rg..question for ya on ROM??? CP Results for me.....Right knee flex to be 0 to 100 w/pain @85degrees Left knee extension is at 5 degrees with flex from 5 to 110 degrees w/pain at 85 degrees. There is no additional range of motion loss due to pain.. Does this sound like 10% +10% ??? mmmmm. Thanks, William

It's going to depend on what dx code they use. I have ROM on both knees of 0*- 90*, but due to the code I'm under, the ROM's don't count at all. They usually do this becuase they know we will lose ROM over time, and it keeps them from having to increase us.