Degenerative disk disease and Pre-exisiting condition news

When I got my MRI back my QME doctor wrote a diagnosis report sating I have underlying degenerative disc disease thrown into my bilateral-repetitive-strain-injuries mix.
My MRI of the cervical spine reveals disc bulges at:

Quote:

C4-5 (1-2mm no significant central spinal stenosis), C5-6 (2-3mm left paracentral disk bulge & mild facet hypertrophy causing mild foraminal narrowing on the left, & C6-7 (3-4mm right paracentral disk protrusion, which indented the thecal sac.) There was mild uncovertebral & facet hypertrophy. Findings cause moderate lateral recess stenosis & narrowing bilaterally and a moderate to severe central spine stenosis. Options for care- Cervical epidural steroid injections

Now I really have no idea what this means but I do know that my treating doc wants me to do traction instead of surgery and I know that the QME doctor says the disc problems are preexisting.

Questions I have to find answers to:

1. Can disc degeneration be reversed or just slowed down?
2. What does an cervical epidural steroid shot do?
3. How much does that hurt???!
4. Can an MRI definately prove that this was a pre-existing condition rather than a secondary injury of Thoracic Outlet?
5. And for extra credit: What the heck does the above diagnosis say in layman's terms

I have to find out the answer to #4 particularly because it will effect my disability rating and in turn my WC payment.

MRI follow-up

In my previous post I wrote:

In the days since my MRI I have talked to several TOS sufferers and they have all told me unless I was making a football goal with my arms in the imaging process, the compression would not show.

I just found out I wasn't being imaged to rule out TOS, they were looking for abnormalities other than compression in the thoracic outlet. And I would have had to been injected with dye and in a tube MRI machine for that kind of imaging.
My doctor said the film was poor to average image quality and that the place I went to was known for it. What was found in the film I had was disc bulges @ C4-5 (1-2mm) & C5-6, C6-7 levels (both 2-3mm). My doctor and I talked about neck traction as a solution as surgery does not seem to be needed.
Also- I have no idea what the WC Doc will interpret this as My treating doctor did say that because the MRI was done so late in the game it would be impossible to say if this was a precursor to the injury just as much as it would be a secondary injury. So quite possibly it won't help or hurt my case.

Home Traction Exercise (for the neck)

I have the Edgelow Protocol kit and had that type of PT, my therapist made me a "home neck traction" thing-a-majig and I love to use it (sometimes while listening to a meditation CD I got from the library).
The traction device is simply a longish hand towel, a theraband, tape and rope. First you get someone to help you loop the hand towel from the base of your neck to the top of your head- almost like a unicorn :P. Tie the towel into place up there then tape around the tie just to make sure its secure. Next, connect the theraband to the towel loop so you have a chain. Then, do the same with a rope, connecting it to the theraband.
How it all comes together:
The rope end goes on a door handle. Put your head in the towel end, with it around the base of your neck and the tied end close to your forehead/ hairline (think unicorn haha) then you sit down close to the door and slowly lay down. Scootching away from the door on your back until the chain gets taut and you begin to feel a pull through your neck. \
You can move away as much as you want. Also if your arms are too sensitive to fall to your sides, you can use a belt to loosely bind them in a folded arm, yet relaxed position across your belly. I listen to Jack Kornfield's Meditation for Beginners Disc 1 because it talks about pain a little bit.
The pull for me is such a relief. I feel my neck elongate and the feeling of compression goes away. My PT said its ok to do this for as long as you want too! I swear it is the best active thing I've done for discomfort throughout my TOS/ RSI experience and I recommend it wholeheartedly

how the loops of rope, theraband, and towel look all tied together
how you put your head in the towel loop (I know.. you're not a bunny..!)