What is focal degenerative disc disease with bilateral neural foramen compromise?

Answer 1

Let me explain how the spine & discs work first, then answer your question... Looking down on the involved levels (L5-S1), the top is toward your abdomen (NOON) and the back is toward the back (6 O'clock). I'll describe what happens, referring to times on the clock. Between each vertebra are thick disks: these comprise of a thick wall on the outside, filled with a thick gel. This acts as a "shock absorber". Nerves travel down the spinal canal as a thick cord of nerves and this cord is encased in a 3-layered sac, or envelope. Each nerve arises at a point in the brain, and travels down the cord, exits at its determined level and travels down the body to where it is designed to go/operate. Over the years these disks begin to wear out and flatten or possibly bulge out (like squashing a marshmallow). Sometimes, trauma --or bending or leaning with/without heavy lifting-- can cause a herniation in the side of this disk, and the resulting herniation can cause problems by pinching a nerve. If the herniation occurs at 5 o'clock or 7 o'clock, and is severe enough, the herniation can pinch (trap) a nerve as it is preparing to leave the spinal cord and travel down the body, resulting in a severe burning pain and possibly muscle cramps if the nerve travels to the spasming muscle. In your case, it sounds as if the disc is has worn to the point of bulging out into where the nerves exit on both sides of the spine (the 5 o'clock & 7 o'clock areas), but apparently not enough to actually pinch on the nerves on either side (since you don't talk about having nerve pain). This is an Xray (MRI or CT) diagnosis; you haven't mentioned any pain or numbness in your back or legs, and I doubt seriously that you will since there isn't enough disc material (the thick gel) to do that... That is not to say that you don't have pain... Discs have nerve fibers, and any Back pain could certainly be from those nerve fibers being stretched or torn by the bulging.