Letter from the doctor

rugbygirl

Hi all

I am now even more confused than ever. I have received a letter from my Pain Specialist and I have absolutely no idea what it means.

DIAGNOSIS: Low back pain with right sided scaitica

Seen by my orthopaedic colleagues, MRI organised which shows L5/S1 disc prolapse, facet joint arthropathy, ligamentum and flavum thickening, and canal stenosis, which undoubtedly explains her sciatica. Happily, there are no red flag symptoms currently.

Can anyone explain what this means? I am confused as I was told that I had Degenerative Arthritis by the same doctor who sent this out. Now I have no idea what is wrong with me. I cant see my own doctor until next week so I just wanted to know if you could help me before then

Thanks

dreamdaisy

I must get me a medical dictionary. Prolapse - stuff falls forward or downwards so that hints at disc trouble in a certain area, perhaps also with some form of joint disturbance (the use of the words arthropathy and thickening hints at that) but stenosis means narrowing. Ligamentum must be related to ligaments (tough bands of tissue surrouding joints). All in all yes, it sounds like some form of degenerative arthritis but please remember I am not a doctor so cannot be sure. DD

rugbygirl

Thanks DD. I didnt have a clue what to make of it and even though I had a look on the dreaded internet it made things even more muddy than they already were.

frogmorton

Jaki

I think that is what it means....just in more techie terms.

Sounds very similar to my back years ago :sad: The prolapse is a sticky out disc - not where it should be, but sometimes go back in themselves mine did loads of times befoer the opp

The red flags - or lack of sound a good thing

Love and hugs

Toni xx

skezier

Hi Jaki,

Its kinda the same thing though the stenos is narrowing of the spinal canal and possibly why the sciatica is there and they use the word arthropathy as just another way of saying arthritis, though i don't think it say which as my pain doc used it as multiple joint arthropathy and I have two types.

the prolapse it a disc that's bulged but it doesn't say inverted so that's likely it come out wards. sadly the disc get a bit of a clobbering with the narrowing cus they get squeezed. Red flag symptoms usually mean cord being compromised. So the fact there aren't any is kinda good.

Doesn't stop it hurting though and I wonder did they have any ideas on management? Cris x

julie47

Hi jaki

I often find doctors letters confusing too..Just wish they would use plain english.
No red flag sounds ok though....only bit i understood

Take care and hope the appointment with your doc goes well.

juliepf x

rugbygirl

Hi Cris

The pain management they have for me is to have a caudal epidural, physio, add amitriptyline to my dose of 300mg Gabapenthin for 6 weeks before uping the Gabapenthin although my gp has already increased the Gabapenthin!

I have also got to see the Clinical Psychologist about the pain!!

I wont be seen again by him until I have had my epidural

barbara12

Hi Jaki
I think think the others have enlightened you....and me come to that....I just want to wish you well with it all....might find out more when I get my results.
Love
Barbara x

speedalong

Hi, sounds like the others have helped with demystifying some of the terminology in the letter. However, I would ask the pain doc or GP to explain the terminology to you at your next appointment.

Speedy

rugbygirl

Well finally have have got the medical jargon deciphered. I have Degenerative Arthritis in the Lumbar region, a prolapsed disc and sciatica. I also have the beginnings of Arthritis in my Cervix region and a very painful shoulder.

I am so glad I got the diagnosis sorted out.