I recently had an mri of the brain. the results where as follows mild atrophy and mild periventricular white matter ischemic small vessel disease. wh?

Perhaps benign: The MRI truly needs clinical correlation, as the ischemic white matter disease is not uncommonly seen with atherosclerotic changes of aging, and the atrophy may potentially be c/w aging also. But if associated with memory loss or changes in your cognition, could correlate with a progressive dementia perhaps. Query your doctor as to why test was done and if it confirms a clinical problem.

White matter changes: Your MRI describes small vessel ischemic disease or white matter changes, a very common finding on MRI and frequently found in people with a history of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, migraines, getting older, etc. It is thought to be due to atherosclerosis, leading to less blood flow to certain areas of the brain. Usually these changes happen very slowly and don't result in neurological problems.

Arteriosclerosis : You are taking hydrocodone, tramadol & Lyrica (pregabalin) for nagging pain plus Ambien for sleep and Buspirone for anxiety. Combination is heavy stuff. Had migraine but not any more? Microvascular disease is the blockage of tiny vessels-arteriosclerosis. These can happen in heart & kidney as well. Check your lipid profile and possible use of statin. For headache & reevaluation of all your meds see neurologist.