Question
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Followup To
Question -
I have had a back problem since an injury in 1993 with back pain and tighting and pain in my buttocks, and muscle pain in my legs and calves, now pain in my big toes sometimes and a dull pain in the tip of my penis. I have in the past couple of years sought help for pain, because my condition has worsetend each year since my initial injury. I have recently got an MRI through a state rehabilitation agency that contradicts all past CAT scans even the one taken 11 years ago. So they say its in my head and there is no obvious encroachments, and all I have is deteriating disc disease. Here are the results from 2 CAT scan and a Fresh MRI this month.

1993 CAT scan results - "A slight bluging disc is present at L4-L5, A mild central disc protrusion is present a L5-S1, such that a small herniated idsc cannot be excluded vs a bulging disc"

2004 CAT Scan results - "There are mild broad based annular disc bulges at L4-L5 and L5-S1 without acquired spinal Stenosis or neurol Formainal Encroachemnt along with deterioritiang disc disease present at these locations"

2004 MRI saca results- "Some Disc desiccation is noted at L1-L2, L4-L5, and L5-S1, but no focal disc protrusion is identified"

So I am in limbo, I think this agency does not want to help me and there good ole boy network has painted a rosy picture of my conditon as of right now.  I dont know how my disc problems healed themselves and I have worsetning conditions, the pain in the penis and toes really worries me, they are trying to tell me its in my head. Now I here I should have had a mylogram or somthing that has die in it and then shows up on the MRI, so I dont know what to do, I have no money and cant pay for other doctors and these guys have been draging me along for 2 years, they say they may give me some steroid shots. Any suggestions you have would be most apreciated, I just would like to know how all these reports contridict each other. Thanks
Answer -
Hi J. Tramel,
Thanks so much for your question.

That is somewhat of a mystery to me. In some cases, a slipped or dislocated disc can slip back into place. However, I don't know why the pain has gotten worse if your disc situation appeared to improved unless there was some nerve damage too.

Although I am not a doctor there is a new volunteer to AllExperts.com as an SCI expert. His name is Dr. Federico Castro-moure, MD. and has a PHD in neuroscience. He may be better able to explain why your CAT scan and MRI results differ.

I am sorry I wasn't able to help you more.

Thanks again,
John McKinzie

John I could not find SCI under any topics in the list. Could  you tell me how to acess Dr Federico. Thanks for your help

Answer
hI,
Sorry I didn't include those directions.

On any of the AllExperts pages you find the search window at the top.

Type in: spinal cord injury.

It should take you to your search results.

Then click on:
Neurosciences/Spinal cord injury

You will be to a page with my name and his name.

If you still have problems, try this. Go to:
http://www.allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=63415

This should help.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me anytime.

Thanks,
John McKinzie