Question
Hi,

I have a mild compression upon the ventral aspect of the right S1 root. Is that any different that simply a mild pinched nerve of the right S1?

it says right side, but i'm experiencing with numbing on both legs to my feet.

Thanks,

Answer
A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure is applied for too long to a nerve by surrounding tissues梥uch as by bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments, spinal discs, or (rarely) tumor.

Everyone has at one time or another applied too much pressure to the "funny bone" in their elbow which is actually the ulnar nerve. This physical pressure disrupts the nerve's function causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness from the elbow into the fingers of the hand. Too much pressure applied for too long to a nerve along the spine results in much the same sensations. Where these sensations occur naturally depends upon the pathway of the specific involved nerve as illustrated above.

Nerve pain resulting from direct physical pressure is called an entrapment neuropathy because the nerve is trapped or pinched by some structure. This term helps to distinguish them from neuropathies resulting from infection or disease where the nerve pain is more often referred to as neuritis or neuralgia.

Radiculitis / Radiculopathy
These are not specific conditions, but rather describe a nerve that is being pinched at or very near the spinal cord at the beginning or ''root'' of the nerve. Radiculitis is from Latin radiculo for root plus itis for inflammation. Radiculopathy comes from the same Latin radiculo for root plus Greek pathos for suffering. There may be slight technical differences between the two words but in truth they are often used interchangeably without clear distinction.

In a radiculitis or radiculopathy the pinch is occurring at or near the root of the nerve along the spinal cord. The most common cause of this physical pressure is a herniated or protruding spinal intervertebral disc crushing the nerve against the bone resulting in pain at that level of the spine in the neck or back, and of course, along the pathway of the adjacent nerve root itself resulting in arm pain or leg pain through a process called referred pain or radicular pain. For example, a nerve root impingement in the neck, or cervical spine, can produce pain, motor weakness, or sensory paresthesia in the shoulder, arm or hand which is called brachial radiculitis from Latin brachio for arm or more simply a cervical radiculitis or cervical radiculopathy. Likewise, a nerve root impingement in the lower back or lumbar-sacral spine can be manifested with symptoms in the lower extremity, a lumbar radiculitis or lumbar radiculopathy. This can result in pain, weakness, numbness, or paresthesia in the butt, hip, leg or foot. This is often called sciatica, a reference to the nerve that is being pinched. Sciatica due to compression of one of the lumbar nerve roots is one of the most common forms of radiculopathy.

A disc by definition is round. If you were to describe it like the face of a clock then the spinal cord would be at 6 o'clock in the back and in front of you would be noon. The nerve roots exit the spinal cord at 7 on the left and 5 on the right. A bulge at 4 or 5 if big enough can compress the right nerve at 5 but not the left nerve at 7. But, if the bulge were at almost 6, and if it were big enough it can compress both the right nerve at 5 and the left nerve at 7 at the same time. This seems to be what you are describing.