Jill
I have also sufferer and indeed suffer now from hernitated disks. You menton you have tried exercise but have you done this in a warm pool? Warm pool exercise has helped me enormously as it strengthens the muscles without putting stress on the joints nad surrounding tissue. By strenthening the muscles around the spinal column this will relieve the pain. Just being in a warm pool, not a cold one as this will make muscles contract, will also alleviate the pain. Good Luck