Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] Hi, I have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease since about age 15, I am now 48 years old. My lumbar all the way down through sacral has been fused. I have constant pain in right foot/toes that I have been able to control for about 7 to 8 years, but now pain is getting worse in back above fusion and in the front below belly button. I am wondering if I may now have an issue at T-12 ? I am a male if that makes any difference.
[|AI|]  Hi, Thanks for writing in. The spine is made up of an alignment of small bones. These bones have sponge like discs between them and the spinal cord passes along the back of these bones through the spinal canal. There might be pressure on the discs in the dorsal and lumbar spine and this is causing slight pressure on the spinal canal at a particular level and causing pinching of nerve roots leading to severe pain in the area supplied by the nerve. The disc problem which had involved the T 12 - L 1 disc might have affected the discs at other levels also. Besides, you also have fused vertebrae at lumbar levels. As your symptoms are on the right it is possible that the nerve roots on the right side are affected. You require to be examined a neurologist and an MRI of the dorsal and lumbar spine if indicated to know if the nerve are under pressure and the location. There are patients who get relief by doing physiotherapy and taking neurogenic pain relievers. Injections are also given for relief. However, this might not always happen. If your pain is severe and not responding to medical treatment then the disc protrusion needs to be removed by doing a small surgery at the cervical neck region. Presently, laser assisted surgical techniques are also available. If the pain is mild then it appears to be a minor problem that is treatable. Please do not worry.