Here is a sample of the scans that were taken at the hospital in January.  Each one shows Bernard’s lower spine area.  The disc level that appears all squished together and at times with a whitish glow is the L4-L5, the real problem in our situation here, as far as we can surmise.

This is the x-ray.  It shows a loss of disc height and some vertebral body osteophytes (bony growths). 

Here is one of the CT (Computed Tomography) scan images.  It shows severe narrowing of the L4-L5 disc space.  The radiologist thought that the disc had been surgically removed - a discectomy - which is not the case.  There is still a little bit of a  disc bulge, but where has the rest of the disc material gone, and what impact does loose disc material have on surounding nerve tissue?

Here is one of the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans.  The disc that looks very narrow and has the white glow around it is L4-L5.  The report mentions some disc herniation on the inside of the left neural foramen but cannot make out any nerve root compression.  So, where does the intense nerve pain, and feeling of severe instability originate? 

For many years Bernard did the physiotherapist prescribed exercises which allowed him to live a pretty normal life.  But, now they, along with most other types of movement, make the pain and the sensation that he’s one tiny move away from a major acute incident, worse, not better. 

For more background and symtoms, please refer to:

 http://bernardsnewback.ca/wp-content/uploads/Letter_to_Specialist.pdf

Would someone please take a scientific approach, listening to all the evidence, and get to the bottom of this?