More Annualr Tear info..

longroadahead · #1 (**permalink**) 04-15-2011, 06:57 PM

I had a Grade 5 Annular Tear March 2010 at L5/S1. At March 2011 it was a 8mm Disc Extrusion.

Still have good disc height.

Have had LBP since late 2008.

cp7959 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-15-2011, 07:29 PM

Maria, Your pain at L5/S1 is worse or better since autofuse? When it "rebulged" did your symptoms worsen and then settle down? Do you think your pain / flare ups is coming from L4?

Longroad, are you going to go down the "surgical road" or wait it out?

My sciatica is bothersome and prevents me from being as active as I like. Sitting is a challenge, but I don't feel my pain level is strong enough to warrant surgery. Not sure what to do or when to do it. But I've learned from my cervical surgery that rushing is not usually a good plan.

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 04-15-2011, 08:50 PM

1)better
2)hard to say because L4 was involved then too and no discogram offered/done back in early '90s to 2001)
3)yes

Used to have pain that was attributed to L3 and it was very different than anything I've had in quite a number of years. It eventually stopped altogether even much before I was getting ESIs done on L4 and L5S1.