rose
I have been suffering with the same thing - for six months - and finally!!! feeling better. I did a lot of research online - after than, surgery was NOT an option. If the disk itself is deteriorated, then surgery can help. But the percentage of success stories don't seem to be overwhelming. Surgery should be a LAST resort. IN my case, the disk was out of place and pushing on the sciatic nerve and causing constant excruciating pain right down to my ankle. I started to see a physiatrist who does "trigger point therapy" which is not common - treatment that Uses acupuncture needles and places them deep in muscles (ouch) to cause them to spasm and relax, easing the tension on the spine, in hopes of increasing the space where the disk has slipped from so it can be slowly nudged into place. This treatment comes with exercises one must do a few times a day - simple ones to keep the spine elongated and muscles stretched. For months I would get better only a tiny bit at a time and was on lots of pain killers (which lessened but didn't kill the pain). I couldn't sleep as the pain was 24/7 and agonizing. But after three months I finally felt better. So I started to do yoga and it was too soon to be that aggressive with my body and I reinjured myself!!! Another three months of this therapy (and pain killers) and well: The last two treatments (once every two weeks) did the trick. I am completely COMPLETELY out of pain. I still don't believe it, and expect it to come back! I spent months walking with a cane! Now I am painfree, canefree, and can hardly believe it!!! It has only been two weeks. My suggestion is to search for alternative treatments for your spine way before even thinking about surgery (and believe me I did think about surgery as the pain was so bad - I was taking six percocets a day). Take vitamins, sit erect and stretched, always be conscious of the position your body is in. Acupuncture can help some people, but not me. Work with yourself and others to reverse the problem by retraining your muscles to do their job right. When you are in pain, the tendency is to shrink up and exacerbate the situation. Good luck.