Disc Herniation

[Pork Twain]

The biggest issue is the longer you let the nerve go (pain shooting down the leg), the more likely you will suffer damage.  I had two ruptured discs and suffered the nerve pain as well.  I had surgery, more like had to have, because one piece of the spongy part of the disc had come out and lodged between my spine and nerve.  After surgery all pain was gone.  One thing you learn from PT afterwards, the stronger your core is, the less stress on your back.

Right on the money and covering the pain with medication will just lead to a more jacked up back in the long run, because you learned to deal with the pain and did not get it fixed.

[McKdaddy]

I began PT for my lower back a week ago.

Long story short:

I hurt my back 12 years ago.  I've been seeing a chiropractor ever since...quarterly maintenance visits.  My chiropractor has told me over the years that he can't fix me, but wants to try to keep me from having to have surgery as long as possible.

Occasionally my back will go out between visits.  When this happens, I see the chiropractor and I'm walking upright again and pain is gone or minimalized.

Recently my back went out and I thought enough is enough.  I visited a recommended back surgeon.  After x-rays and mri, he suggested no surgery, if possible.  He told me to keep seeing my chiropractor and wrote a Rx for PT, stating PT will be step 1 in trying to correct my issues.

[DeltaBoy]

My Prayers are for all of you with this issue.  Back pain is just bad cause it makes you hurt all over and you don't feel like doing nothing.