L5 S1 issues.

Laminectomy of L4/L5 for a bone spur crushing my sciatic nerve.  Then a full L3 through S1 TLIF fusion (doc said my spine was like a junkyard).  Last year, got spinal stenosis at L2/L3...fixed with an LLIF fusion.  Gotta pay for those 45 years of hockey...

First, you have to see a neurosurgeon...a really good spine surgeon.  Next, he/she'll read the MRI which may be inconclusive...many are.  The "gold standard" test for the spine is a CT/Myelogram with contrast.  It's a complete map of your spine.  Ask for one.  Then you'll have a definitive diagnosis...no guessing.

IMHO, no 35-year old should have the spine of someone who's 60.  Something's going on...find out before you do anything else that can make the situation worse.  Then if you need something done, the doc will recommend the best course of action.  

PS: If you end up needing a single-level fusion (ex: L5-S1), look into the LLIF (lateral) procedure. Search YouTube for "globus lateral" for a cute animation.  My TLIF was 10 days in the hospital, brace for 6 months and 4 months of rehab.  My LLIF was a one night stay, no brace, no rehab.  The LLIF is the best kept secret around.  Just in case you need it, do the research.

Hi James,

I'll relay my experience so you can see the cause and affect that hurt me. I had similar issues at the same area at the same age. I used to fly jet fighters for 20 years and attributed my condition to the extreme G loads that concentrate the force in the lower back on every flight . Eventually I did what you are doing and I cut back on my high impact exercise shortened my run from 4 to 2 miles etc. I went to Chiropractors for help and for a good long while they helped me alot. I also became an airline pilot and my 2 careers overlapped for 10 years because I flew fighters in the Air National Guard which allowed me time for a full time profession as an airline pilot. The reason I bring up my careers is because in that capacity a person is severly restricted in the type of treatment and medication you can receive, so I delt with alot of pain from early on with limitted treatment. Being on the road for 3-4 days at a time doesn't allow for much treatment either. So, I tried everything from steroidal injections, to acupuncture, to finally having an outpatient procedure where they actually burn off some of the nerves. I tried it all, and everything I tried except for accupuncture, had a positive affect but only for a while as things dteriorated. A person can't have steroidal injections more often than 90 days apart. Injections only helped for a month at first then later for only days. The nerves (endings I think) that were burned off eventually grew back. Oh, and early on in this at about your age I had a doc (a flight surgeon or AME) tell me to take 12 advil per day in any combination. Well I didn't take 12 but I did take alot since that was allowable as an airline pilot. Eventually it gave me an ulcer so be aware of that despite the relief all the NSAIDs provide. Finally I elected to have decompression surgery ( Laminectomy I think) which is basically opening up the passageways that the nerves pass through. That also helped for like a year or so. So you can see where I'm going with this is that there is no real fix I'm sorry to say. I continued being active lifting heavy objects without regard, building things etc which was a terrible mistake. One thing you can do that helps is to keep your core muscles in good shape in order to take up the tension of your spine and joints and be very careful not to do anything to aggrivate the condition. You can make it worse but not much better. I eventually ended my flying career about 6 years early because the pain disrupted my sleep so much that it left me less than 100% with an airplane full of passengers, so I stopped flying. Then as the pain increased came pain medication. Then came a 2 level spinal fusion about 3 years ago.  Had I known then what I know now about spinal fusions I would have made a much better attempt at dealing with the pain and stiff arming the fusion a bit longer. Fusion welds together a section of spine that is meant to flex. And, who knows for sure whether the surgeon doing a spinal fusion can fuse your spine in the least binding position. Before fusion 95% of all my pain was in my left lower back, now since fusion its all on the right migrating the pain all the way to the perfectly normal hip. I know of no one who had multi level fusion that can sleep normally anymore. Since fusion, I play hell trying to find a position that does not bind some nerve while trying to sleep. It's like getting waterboarded everynight, and you know for sure its comming. Another problem with fusion is that the joints adjacent to the fused joints deteriorate and fail much sooner since they take up more load. It's hard not to get discouraged once your back begins to deteriorate but despite my back problems I am very active. I fish and dive many days a week, and I'm getting ready buy a small airplane and start flying again. I'm past age 69. There is a good outlook for you if you avoid further damage. Get more than one doctor's opinion; I got 5. I saw neuro-surgeons at the Mayo clinic since my fusion. They were the best and I wish I had seen first. Beware of the spinal fusion ads on TV. There are many doctors  "selling surgery."  My best advice is to protect your back from further deterioration by altering the way you physically do things, but don't stop doing things. Just do them in a protective way. Also build your core muscle as much as you safely can. I suggest a round or two of physical therapy to teach you how to modify your physical activity.  By just altering the way you do things should keep you away from the course I ended up on. You'll need to be more careful than other people. I hope I haven't discouraged you but I want to be honest so you are aware enough to avoid certain miss-steps that have a permanent negative affect. Best wishes  for improvement in your condition.