29 yr old police officer with spinal fracture, synovial cyst, and other issues

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Good afternoon, 

I am hoping someone can give me some advice on where to go next.  I suffered a previous injury to my back while working on the ambulance 7 plus years ago, after PT the injury was healed and I resumed all activities I wanted. Recently I began to experience a lot of back pain, aided by wearing a 40 lb duty bet and in and out of a cruiser i am sure.  I have always been in good shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  The pain began to intervere greatly with my daily life.  Last year I have a MRI of my back and it showed that i had mild degenerative disc disease, I rested up and saw a chiropractor and sports massage specialist.  The pain was horrific lastly and I had a new sensation of popping and clicking in my back when i would breath, stand, hold a plank or push up, or even turn to back up the car! I went to the doctor and they performed a MRI and told me I had a vertical fracture in the Left pedicle at L5 (I had been in no traumatic accidents or falls).  They ordered a Ct scan and it confirmed the fracture.  The doctors have been dragging their feet and I am in a lot of pain.  I am going to a specialist in a large hospital but cannot be seen for another month.  I am also wondering why I all of a sudden with in a year have severe athritis, disc bulges, a fracture, a synovial cyst, and lumbar lordosis (I am 29!)

Here are the MRI findings:

-Vertical fracture in cleft within L5 pedicle

-severe left L4-L5 facet osteoarthropathy with associated posterolateral synovial cyst

-reactive edema within left pedicle of L4 - stress related response

-disc degeneration at each level L1-S1 - right posterior disc bulge from L1-L4 

-combned posterior disc osteophyte complex

-facet osteoarthropathy at L3-L4

-mild bilaterarl recess stenosis

ct findings:

-Transitional lunbrosacral anatomy indenitified

-englarged and dysplastic right transverse process with left sided pseudoarthritis

-lumbar lordosis

-L5-S1 facet arthropathy with left greater than right seen at L4-L5 

-Disc space height loss 

-Disc herniation at L3-L4

I am afraid of back surgery, but I want to resume my activities as soon as possible! What would a suggestion be for the next step and why I have all of these issues developing in less than a year??

Thank you!

2

 So sorry you're having so many problems with your back.  I had very successful back surgery in Phoenix, AZ. Where are you located?

3

 so sorry that you are having these problems. I had very successful back surgery in Phoenix AZ. Where are you located?

4

Hi Donna,

First off thank you for the reply! Glad to hear you had a successful surgery, that gives me hope if it comes to that! How was your recovery? I live in ma

5

Sorry to hear you are having all this pain etc. I would like to give you some hope. 3 months ago I had a spinal decompression and fusion L3 - L5, here in Auckland New Zealand. I am a 66 year woman and had suffered back pain for many years worsening to the extent that I was unable to work and barely able to look after myself let alone live anything that resembles a "normal" life. Most of my time was spent lying on sofa watching television, not a great way to spend my retirement after working all my life. However now my life is totally different far better than I could possibly have imagined. The surgeon told me that walking is the key to my recovery and I have followed the instructions to the letter. He said I was not to have any physiotherapy but just walking. It is spring time here in NZ so I am getting out walking each day, yesterday 2.4km along one of our beautiful beaches, and planning the same this morning. I am so thankful I made the decision to have the surgery, it has given me my life back. Yes, it was difficult but has been almost a miracle for me. The only advice I would give is to choose your surgeon carefully, read lots so you are fully informed and most importantly - follow your surgeon's advice to the letter. He or she (and nobody else) has your best interests at heart. I researched for months before I went ahead with the surgery, including on this forum. Best of luck for whatever you decide to do, please let us know how you get on.

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