Based on your MRI report it is possible that the accident caused the disc bulge in the L5/S1 disc as well as the others, but it will never really be clear to say that it really did.

You show degeneration in the L3/L4 which is part of aging, and the same in L4/L5.

It is possible that the accident moved things slightly so cause the pain, and it just may all be a coincidence.

Either way you have some real issues with teh L4/L5 that need to be addressed.

Since you are still in so much pain, it would be best to see a spine specialist, and MD not a chiropractor.

Either an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spines or a neurosurgeon that specializes in spines only.

You need a full evaluation and a course of treatment to try under the guide of a spine specialist.

Conservative treatments may help you, if not then surgery would be the way to have your pain reduced.

Good luck

Fran

hello

Thanks for the quick response. However, in a bid to save time I cut and pasted the results from another document and they do not appear to be accurate..so much for efficiency .

Here are the proper results
L2/2: posterior annular tear and broad based disc bulge with mild facet degeneration causing mild to moderate canal stenosis. no lateral recess stenosis.

L3/4: as above

L4/5 as above

L5/S1: as above

It is the annular tear that concerns me most of all. Is It possible to assume that this is caused by trauma i.e. rear ended whiplash injury? or is this degeneration too. Do these tears just appear randomly?

My problem is that my solicitor and doctor in charge of compiling my medical reports suggest that the degeneration is the cause of my symptoms whereas I believe that I was injured to a degree that has aggravated an underlying, dormant and asymptimatic condition.

Prior to the accident I had no concers with the condition of my spine. Now it seems there appear to be a few problems only made clear from the MRI(which the third party refused to fund). My GP has also confirmed that surgery may be an option based on a neurosurgeon's report. That being said I have insisted that I will not have surgery and will continue to manage the pain with painkillers.

It would benefit me greatly if I could gain opinion as to whether my injuries are accident related as no-one seems to want to say so.

I very much appreciate your help.

I think you're gonna have to research this online..I sent you a PM that might help some..I doubt a doc can say with a shadow of doubt accident caused this..But whoknows..Prior Physical and records just might help you..

While you have tried Chirorpactic, maybe that Chiropractor was not the right fit for you. Maybe you should try another one. Also exercise and proper nutrition and sleep and important too as well as a positive mental attitude.

"It would benefit me greatly if I could gain opinion as to whether my injuries are accident related as no-one seems to want to say so. "

The reason no one is telling you that your injuries are accident related is very simple.

Your MRI shows degenerative changes in your spine that can not be caused by any kind of accident. Those kinds of changes occur as we age, some earlier than others.

Annular tears in a disc occur from an injury, from degeneration of the disc, and where you have degenerative facets, there is no real way to determine that the accident caused your disc bulges or any other problem.

The most that could be said is that the accident added to an already pre-existing condition that you already had. The fact that the degeneration already existed before the accident prevents being able to make any determination as to how the accident plays into your present pain and MRI results.

Actually, you could have been fine after the accident and then got out of bed "the wrong way" and created the pain, fallen down, tripped over something when walking or any other number of things to have set off the pain that you are having.

There really isn't any way to say with certainty that the accident caused your existing problems.
What can be said is that the accident had nothing to do with the degenerative changes that your MRI shows.

As for refusing any type of surgery, I can understand that, been there, done that myself.
In the end, I did opt for surgery as I couldn't deal with the pain or a life filled with narcotics to try and relieve the pain.

Please also remember that narcotic pain meds have many, many side affects that aren't pleasant and at some point you will start to build a tolerance to them and need to continue to increase your dosages.

Also please remember that continued nerve compression that you are suffering with can and will eventually lead to permanent nerve damage, that could include the nerves to your bowel and bladder where you can lose all or part of the control of your bowel and bladder.

You can also suffer permanent foot drop as well.

Good luck

Fran