Jaciqltznok:
Last August, after suffering for seven+ years, I had surgery on L3-L4 - a microdiscectomy. It is the best thing I could have done. I tried chiropractic care in the beginning of this journey and actually did get relief, but eventually after several epidural steriod injections, accupuncuture, physical therapy, I could not take the pain any longer. Any doctor who is good and willing to exhaust every avenue will tell you, you will know when it is time for surgery. Early on when I started having problems, the first neurologist I saw sent me for one injection and when I did not get relief, he said my only choice would be fusion surgery. I opted to try a second injection and got pain relief for the following two years. When I started having problems again, I saw a sports medicine doctor who was going to send me for water therapy and the morning before I was to start, I got out of bed and almost fell over in severe pain. I thought, well this must be the sign that I need surgery, but it wasn't. I journeyed on for another few years getting injections in my back until after spending eight months sleeping in a lounge chair because I could not sleep flat I went in to see my sports medicine doctor. I told him, I couldn't go on any longer. He told me, you know, "I think it is time, you have been so upbeat throughout the course of this, I can see that you have had enough". My surgery was done by a neurosurgeon August 2nd of last year and I am doing wonderful.
Everyone's advice to you on this board is good advice and it is great to see such positive results for others who have had surgery and/or relief from physical therapy. I was scared to death to have surgery because all you can find on the internet is negative info. The best advice is to be sure you see a good doctor, get a second opinion. My prayers will be with you that you can eventually find relief.