Joan
I also had surgery, and am very glad I did. Most herniated disks heal without surgery. As I understand it, whether or not to have surgery doesn't depend on the pain, but rather the muscle strength/nerve impact. I believe, based on my experience, that most pain can be dealt with with medication and rest. The best advise I can give anyone is to know that you're with the right doctor: a neurosurgeon who operates only where necessary. Also, a fusion is not necessary for everyone, and I understand that they're done more than necessary. I had a posterior cervical discectomy (no fusion) and am fine now. And my herniated disk (C6-C7) was very bad with severe nerve damage. I would be glad to support anyone with this problem, and can be reached at