ME
Surgery is the LAST resort. Alternative therapies such as chiropractic and accupuncture have a good success rate. Successfull surgeries are the exception NOT the rule. Research this carefully, a spinal fusion leads to a whole new set of concerns. I had a severly herniated L4-L5 disc. I went immediately to a chiropractor and completely recovered in about 4 months. I did have to deal with pain and restriced activities for a while, but compared to the alternative this was a SMALL price to pay!