Question: I have been a Police Officer for 18 years. I served on the S.W.A.T. Team for 12 years and a undercover Narcotics Detective for 8 years. During these assignments i was invovled in several Cruiser accidents many fights, foot chases and so on. I injured my back during some of these incidents but was always able to deal with it.
My last injury was in May 2012 when i was climbing up a shelving unit. I was only about two feet off the ground when my foot slipped and i fell backwards landing on a metal tool box. I fell directly on my Coccyx Bone. I have been seen by 2 Orthopedic Surgeons, Pain Management Doctor, i had one I.M.E. exam, a Functional Capacity Test that revealed i need to be on permanent light duty. It also said that i put forth maximum effort and said i could only lift 40 pounds and i had a EMG Test that also showed a positive finding for right side S1 Radioculopathy.

Since my last injury in 2012 the pain is almost constant in my lower back and the pain in the area of my coccyx is very bad when sitting for a long time. I have had multiple shots and blocks to my lower back and coccyx that really don't help me in anyway.

I had two MRI's and a CT Scan and they don't reveal anything that bad. In the body of the radiology report, and asymmetric disc bulge was noted with contact on the right L5 exiting nerve root. This bulge was further described as a “small central focal disc protrusion.” The report continues "Minor lower lumbar spondylosis, with degenerative L4-L5 and L5-S1 facet joints". "Patient's MRI shows possible right sided nerve root compression around the L4-L5.

Ct Scan states: Mild Posterior Disc Bulge and Far Right Lateral Disc Protrusion at L5-S1. Mild Bilateral Inguinal Lymphadenopathy

Both my Orthopedic Doctors gave me a 5% disability rating and the I.M.E. doctor did as well. My question is, Is it common that someone be in so much constant pain without any significant findings in my MRI reports and CtScan report.