Question
Hi -

On Dec 27, 2007 I was involved in a rear end collision.  Since then I have had continuous lower back pain, right side of spine area, approximatley the size of a baseball. The pain goes from a Level 3 all the time, to 5 or 6 depending on how I am using my back, sometimes I am unable to even get up in the morning because the pain is so great.

Notes about accident:  I was stopped, and hit at about 20-25mph, and was looking backwards when she hit me. When she hit me my entire truck bounced up and rolled forward rather abrubtly. I did not noticed the pain until Saturday AM (1.5 days later, when I could not get out of bed, I was little stiff the day earlier however)

There was NO PRIOR INJURIES or pain to accident.

My girlfriend noticed a what she described as a "knot" that moves in the area of my back, and when she presses on it hurts.

I have been getting chiropractic treatments, been through 8 sessions of physical therapy, and recently started getting massages from Massage Envy, however the pain continues to persist

I can not stand for long periods without support, sit for long period without changes positions regularily, not able to lift what I used to without pain, etc..  The pain has severily limited what I can do, or my daily lifes activities have been severily negatively impacted.

I had an MRI done, and this is what they said:   

MRI Lumbar spine.
Taken in March of 2008.

Findings:  The ossenuos structures are unremarkable, There are no fractures or destructive lesions. There is an incidential L3 hemaginoma. There is mild disc dessication and disc space narrowing at L3-L4. There is very mild L3-L4 facet hypertrophy. There is minimal canal stenosis. There is no neural element compromise. The other levels are well maintained. There are no acute disc extrusions, significant spinal stenosis or nueral formainal compromise. The aorta, paraspinous soft tissues are intra-abdominal strutures are normal.

Impression:

Mild degenerative disc diesese with mild discs bulging and facet hypertrophy at L3-L4 producing mild canal stenosis. 9 to 14mm residual canal diameter.

Straigtened lumbar lordasis which may reflect spasm or positioning.

No acute disc extrusions, significant spinal stenosis or nueral formainal compromise.

I dont know what to do with this, my doctor has asked for another MRI to be done...to see what changes there have been since the last one..  

Answer
Scott,
Can you send me the pics from your MRI? Do you have any pics of your Cervical Spine as well?
Yours in Best Health,

Dr Robert Arnone
Upper Cervical Specific Doctor
"Brainstem Specialist"
Arnone Specific Chiropractic
Family Health Clinic
711 Old Ballas Road Suite 104
Creve Coeur , MO 63141
(314)995-5719
[email protected]