Question
I am 29 and was fairly active. I have been suffering with
pain in my lower back, left buttock and thigh on and off for
the last 3 years and have managed it with pain killers and
anti inflammatory. In the last 6 months the pain has been
more intense and regular and does not seem to be easing as
it has in the past. I have just had my MRI results back and
it states that:

At L5/S1 level there is a tiny central disc herniation which
indents the thecal sac and reduces spinal canal calibre
mildly.

Overall impression: Degenerative disc changes at L5/S1 level
resulting in mild indentation of the thecal sac otherwise no
critical spinal canal or neural foramen compromise
demonstrated.

Is the results of the MRI likely to be causing pain that i
am experiencing and what are my next steps to recovery?

Thanks, Matt

Answer
good questions: 1. you made a big mistake taking medications for your problem , that never fixes the problem. it only masks your symptoms. then when things get worse (like now) the drugs don't work to mask the symptoms anymore and you have to use heavier narcotics. never a good idea to deal with pain through medicine unless it is unbearable.
your disc will continue to degenerate quickly if you don't have your spine in alignment. think of it like you car: if the wheel isn't aligned properly the tire wears down faster in an uneven fashion. same thing with your spine. you are way too young to have a deg. disc. go see a chiropractor to get the pressure off that sciatic nerve (pain running into your leg and buttock) and then make sure you see him on a periodic basis even if you don't have pain. think of it like seeing a dentist a few times a year (you see him 2 x a year without pain , right?)
good luck!