L-1,2 sound like the only good disc's you've got right now. Whew! And I though I had it bad with herneated bulging L-2,3.
Nueral stenosis means the curving of the spine in any direction.sometime with a nerve ending twisted around it making it herniated also. Rich T can tell you more. But. right now it sounds like most of you Lumpar Spine in like a inveted nightmare. There are only 5 dics's in the Lumpar area and you also have one in you Sacral area. Almost sound like a rolorcoaster.
Buldging means the disc has slipped out of place. Rich, Correct me if I am wrong please.

Good Morning Jonee,

Welcome to this forum and the great people like Carrie who post here and try to help others.

If I may - First if your L1/L2 disc is fine then your spine is in better shape than mine. That of course does not lessen the "difficulties" at the other places in your spine.

I honestly cannot understand a lot of the medical terms that are in MRI reports. I believe that one must get a professional medical analysis of the MRI images from several neurologists/spinal surgeons. Find the very best spinal doctors that you can find. It is one step at a time, and it does take time. Remember, surgery IS the LAST option.

Regarding bulging discs - Yep got those too. Thank you Carrie for inviting me to give my understanding of a bulging disc. It is a matter of the disc between the adjacent vertebrae buldging out more than what a "normal" disc would. The fact that a disc may be bulging does not say that that the adjacent vertebrae have slipped. Only at L5/S1 have the two vertebrae slipped for me.

Now search out the best spinal doctors you can find and get their opinions about your spine after their analysis of the MRI images, X-rays, and exam of your back.

I wish you the very best.

RichT

Thank you folks for your support. I just completed my 10-session physical therapy with traction and i felt great improvements. My problem started with low back pains (since 5 years ago i guess) and later on pains behind my right buttock, radiating down to the back of my thigh, calf and ankle area started to appear and this time with numbness on my 4th digit. In my previous episodes, i just managed to self-medicate with NSAIDs and muscle relaxants and fortunately the pain disappeared in a week or two but the Nov 2006 episode was very painful that it made me suffer a lot - and it urged me to see several physicians (GP-Rheumatologist-Physiatrist) until i got an MRI and advised for PT traction.

I was overwhelmed and a bit nervous as the doc explained to me the MRI result and the only thing i quite understood was the annular tear in my disc that caused my misery. I am requesting for layman's enterpretations of the MRI result so that i can better explain to my superiors and colleagues my condition. By the way - i am continuing the Williams exercises

Thanks and more power

As we get older our spine gets more and more unable to repair itself from injury. Also as we get older we develope alot more complitctions with our spine due to the fact we have used it for a life of working at the workplace or the home, lifting, bending etc and this all takes a toll on us as we get older. Now, young people the case if usually a born with complication or an injury of some sort, which only seems to get worse with age. I have noticed a great differenece in the "slump Back" spical cord stenosis lately. I think that may be because people are more aweare now and take more precautions earlier in life. They now know the nutrients the body needs to keep the spinal cord health and intact. Back when I ( and probably Rich Too) were growing up, we had know real knowledge of the reprecusions it could have on us by not eating healthy of supplemental nutrients needed.

~Carrie~

Thanks Carrie . . . by the way, am 46 years old male and into badminton and biking, sits in front of my PC for hours plus improper way of lifting heavy objects, a bit overweight and bad posture = all these contributed to my sciatica episode last nov 2007 that made me enter the rehab institution. Your mentioning about "spinal cord health" is interesting - do u have more info to share regarding this?

thanks a lot

Jonee