The height of l5 s1 is decreased a bit too imo, but it's still well hydrated, which is good.

My L5 S1 is half fused and i have small disc there. I think i will not have problem there.
@Blizzaga
I actualy had discogram and that discrabe annular tear better than mri. I have quite big tear there and they found contrast leaking in the foramen. So this disc is completly dead. No wonder why i never had any relief...
I dont know why that disc, they say genetic, thats all. I didnt had any fall or trauma to the spine ever...

And you've had constant pain for 15 years? It never got better?

I've some annular tears can heal with time...Obviously yours is not one of them unfortunately.

Hi FutureRobot, how long does your annular tear heal? Mine l5s1 has been a year seem better but i still can't lift thing more than 3kg and i have flare up here and there. I am going to do a discogram but not sure will it make the tear worse after doing it. Worry and worry need help !!!!

Annular tears can take a long time. Check the Chirogeek website, he states that sometimes 2-4 years. If you can live with it, it's worth it to wait. Regennex has also reported good results with annular tears as long as the disc isn't collapsed.

Annular tear can heal in some case. For me it didnt work. I waited 10 years to finaly get diagnose, because before that they only say you are to young, and they didnt belive i have pain from only black mri disc. Thats why my neuro perform discogram to se true pain source. You should consider discogram if you are planing to have some surgery. Honestly the discography proccedure was big big pain, but on another hand i was glad that this pain was every day pain, so i knew that disc and annular tear was pain generator.
Discogram result: L3 L4 positive discogram. Annular tear grade 3 with contrast leaking in foramen. Concoordant pain 10/10.
Somewhere on the internet there is grade 1-6 for annular tear and somewhere is 1-3 so im confused. Based from Chirogeek, i have worst tear grade 3. Im confused...

10 years is a long time to be in pain. Some believers say that the tears in a degenerated disc can heal by themselves, but it is just belief, not scientific fact. It is so sad that this lie is used by some doctors to avoid surgery.

I am afraid to go to surgery because i have no nerve compresion and pain in leg. I have big pain walking and that is a thing that killes me most. I realy dont want to have leg nerve pain post op. I am actualy living with this more 10years. It silly because i see alot of people getting surgery if not better within 6months. I remember when i was 16, i go to trip to Barcelona with highscool and i could not walk trough the city because of back pain. So my disc was bad allready then. I think is the time to go to surgery because my life will pass and my back will not...

Some definitely heal. It really depends on how degenerated the disc is. A tear in a hydrated disc will, but in a black disc the chances are slim. Problem is, they never heal to the previous strength..they are always susceptible (I learned this the hard way).

But the likelihood of healing after a thermal annuloplasty isn't good. That coupled with a radiographically dehydrated (black) disk means that the odds aren't in favor for any kind of healing without some level of intervention.