[Jim M2]

Hi Valerie,
There are many possible sources of severe low back pain in the MRI. Here's my layman's understanding in parenthesis.

1. Severe disc space narrowing and complete discdesiccation (lack of blood/moisture in disc - it is essentially dead and being reabsorbed by your body) with minor Schmorls node formation at L4-5 with minor endplate spondylosis and degenerative facet disease (the two small cartlidge joints that connect L4 to L5 are wearing out).

2. 3-3.5 broad base disc protrusion at L5-S1 with bilateral facet arthrosis. Mild central stenosis (spinal canal is narrowed) with mild to moderate bilateral foraminal narrowing (passage on the left and right side of spinal canal where nerves exit has narrowed).

There is slight accentuation of the lower lordotic curve. In conjunction with that finding, there is mild transitional type anatomy at the lumbosacral junction. For purposes of this report only, I am going to retain nomenclature and call the last lumbar body L5 and the level below S1. Based upon this number scheme, there is a well formed S1-S2 intervertebral disc. (You either have an extra (sixth lumbar vertebra) or a disc at S1-S2. The radiologist "retained nomenclature" meaning that if he assumes you have 5 lumbar discs then you have a disc at S1-S2)).