what is the differance

[davidgary]

I am from Oregon

Is a bulging disc the same as a hern disc ?

and can some one tell me what this means?

1.L3-L4 disc bulge , mild left lateral recess narrowing.

2.L4-L5 moderate disc bulge, bilateral lateral recess narrowing

3.L5-S1 disc bulge, no significant stenosis

can any one tell me how serious this is?

[1171]

your doctor is the best one to interpret your radiological results.
a bulge that breaks the containment is considered herniated.

[Still in Limbo]

Your Disc is Made up of 24 Layers of Disc Material, with a Liquid Like Center Called the Pulpus. If due to Either Age or Injury, some of the Layers of the Disc Material Tear, and the Pulpus Enters that Area, it will Cause the Outer Layers to Bulge, and if the Bulge Presses on Nerves, You will Feel Pain, If the Bulge doesn't Press on any Nerves, You May never know You have it, and with Time and Rest, the Pulpus can Subside, and the Disc Material can Heal. A Herniation is when the Pulpus Tears through all 24 Layers, and Exits the Last Layer, and can Press or Lay on Nerves Causing what is sometimes called an Impinged Nerve. A Disc can also Bulge if the Pulpus Dries Up due to Age, and without the Pulpus, it cannot act as the Shock Absorber it is meant to, and will Bulge due to not being Flexible. I would have to Venture to Guess that just about Everyone Over the Age of 30 has some Type of Bulge or Dried Discs, Depending on Their Activity Levels in Their Lives. I Had 4 Totally Dried and Bulged Discs that were seen on My Original Injury MRI, that were not caused by My Injury, just by Time and being a Very Active Person. 1171 is Correct though, You should Consult with Your Dr. to See which of these Scenarios Apply to You! Best of Luck!!

[davidgary]

still in limbo and 1171
thanks for the reply on this. good info . but i would like to know what the medical terms the dr used in my post and is this serious . i know the pain is and the symptoms.

[Cycler]

While not serious at all, the findings you described would be found in just about every adult over the age of 40, you may have have back pain while the guy next to you with the exact same report will not.
There is no scientific literature that establishes which discs are painful based on an MRI report, i.e. no correlation between imaging studies and patient symptoms and a great deal of evidence that suggests that back pain cannot be said to be due to anything more than the entire motion segment, that is, ALL of the interacting componenets and futile to try to call it this or that.

The GOOD news is that left alone, back pain generally is self limited and resolves in a few weeks, responding best to maintaining normal activities to pain tolerance.

For more than you would ever want to know on the subject of the natural course of back pain look up the famous Sport Study on low back pain and all the commentaries and follow ups on it.

davidgary Wrote:still in limbo and 1171
thanks for the reply on this. good info . but i would like to know what the medical terms the dr used in my post and is this serious . i know the pain is and the symptoms.

[1171]

here is a good source of medical information for the lay person:
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html