Is surgery the only option for Slipped disk leading to terrible sciatica pain?

Question

I got slipped disk since one year. The L4 & L5 are affected. I get terrible sciatica pain and I am taking pain-killers everyday since a year. The doc. showed me some exercises but there is no improvement. Medical opinion is devided and some docs say I should go in for the surgery while some say surgery may not help much.

Answer 1

I have the same problem with the same discs. I don't know to what degree your problem is but I remember my doctor telling me that I should think of surgery as the last solution. He put me on pain medication. I was on them for three years, but he also gave me epidural injections with a medicine that helped reduce swelling and that took pressure of the nerve. I still have bad moments with my back and sciatica nerve but not half as bad as before.The problem with the pain medicine is that they only help temporarily and they are not curing the problem they just mask it. The exercise definitely don't help. At least not for me or anyone that I know that has this problem. You may want to be careful if you go to a chiropractor, my doctor told me that since they apply pressure on your back they might end up making matters worse. He also told me that some chiropractors won't even take on patients with slipped or herniated discs. My mother had herniated discs and she wouldn't do surgery, but she did take the medicine that she eventually abused of ultimately taking her own life with an overdose. My father also has herniated discs. He did exercises and got laser surgery and those didn't help. Someone referred him to the same doctor I see and my father also got epidurals and he is much better. He was really bad at one point because he had to use a wheelchair for a couple of months until this doctor began treating him. He used a wheel chair not because he couldn't walk but because it was too painful 'cause of the sciatica nerve and he also used to describe a tingling sensation. I also have a cousin who had the same problem and she ended up going for the surgery where they fussed the bones together. She didn't take proper care of herself immediately after surgery. She told me that the days immediately following surgery she wanted to die 'cause she was in sooo much pain. But about 2 weeks after she was walking up and down the stairs in her home like nothing. She was supposed to do things gradually and take it easy for the first 6 months to allow the surgery to heal properly. But she didn't quite do that and now she is back to square one only worse 'cause before the surgery she used to take percocets 10mg. She had gotten addicted to those and even bought them from people she knew when she ran out of her prescription. After the surgery the doctor prescribed her oxycontins 20 mg, supposedly for the first 6 months after surgery. Six months have been long gone, it's been 11 months and she got addicted to the oxycontins too. She was supposed to take 1 at a time and she takes 3 at a time not realizing that those are time released.
In my case, I stopped taking the medication because of fear of what would happen if I continued taking them. I did not enjoy getting the epidurals but they did help 'cause it made my pain tolerable. What made my case worse and made me decide to try out the epidurals was the birth of my second child.
So I guess it all depends on your individual case, but surgery it NOT the only option. Get a second opinion is you have to, and try epidurals or laser surgery. Laser surgery didn't help my father and when he began to see our doctor the doctor told him that laser surgery was one of the first methods tried for these cases but failed in the majority of the cases. So get a second opinion. I wish you lots and lots of luck. I hope you get better 'cause I know from personal experience and I have seen several of my family members go through it and I know how much it hurts. Good luck!!!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The Sciatic nerve is the longest in the human body, therefore when it gets inflammed it is no fun at all. I have a partially crushed disc lateral to T4-5. I did it at age 19 working in a GM factory, but never reported it to medical. It pinches the nerve and makes the muscle spasm. I am 61 now and It gives me more fun the longer I live with it. In my 30's I jumped from the top of an 8-foot fence, landed on my left foot. This displaced my left lower sacroiliac joint. In combination with the damage caused by years of driving around in a Volkswagen Beetle on an almost NON-EXISTENT beehind, my left-leg sciatica becomes almost unbearable 2-3 times a year. Climbing stairs or bicycle is the best physical therapy to strengthen my pelvic girdle and keep my S.I. joint together. Chiropractic adjustments and massage help even though I can currently afford neither. I get the best relief from the supraspinal muscle spasm by lying on a padded board or a carpeted floor. I took a muscle relaxer one day at work and I had to spend a few hours "sleeping it off" in my office before I could drive home. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, tylenol and aspirin) work best and I try to "balance the load" on my liver and kidneys by taking alternating doses of all three--of course with food or at least large (non-alcoholic) beverages. Modern treatment is much better than the olden days. My friend Harry had a disc replaced by neurosurgeons, and I have heard of orthopedic surgeons replacing discs with some kind of silicone. Of course these radical interventions are only done when the patient has exhausted drugs, TENS, and physical therapy regimens. Personally, I would not rule out acupunture or acupressure. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with leading- edge orthopedic or neurosurgeons AND you have good insurance you should definitely seek a referral to them. My standard nurse's answer is--do not follow any internet advice until you see your doctor. J.D.

Answer 4

I had the same problem. You have to definately change your sleeping habits (make sure your calfs are propped up and perpindicular to the floor), try a feather pillow under your head too!I myself had surgery. Im a single mother and didnt want to be zoned out all the time on pain killers. Right after my surgery they had me hooked up to a morephine drip and I didnt even need it! I felt fabulous, like I hadnt since I was a kid. Its been almost 4 yrs since my surgery and I will admit there are times when my back hurts but its nothing compared to what I endured for 10 yrs. I just take it easy for a couple of days and I feel alot better. Thats the key though, if you work a hard tough job I would think about something that puts less strain on your lower back.

Answer 5

First, get the hell off the pain meds. Second, the docs are right, surgery might or might not alleviate the pain. The mixed opinions you are receiving are a matter of surgeon interpretation, confidence, experience, and ethics. If they're offering surgery like a microdiscetomy it might be worth the risk. If they are offering fusion, think twice.

Have you worked with a physical therapist? Have you tried traction? Have you tried yoga? Have you really tried to work the exercises? Have you tried epidural steroids injections?

There are no quick fixes for this problem and no guarantees!

Answer 6

NO! There is a new treatment called "disc decompression" it involves no surgery!

Research it!

I wish it was around 10 years ago when my friend had his surgery (which was an expensive, pointless, painful, waste of time). Never, ever go under the knife, unless it is an emergency (ie you went to the hospital in an ambulance) At the very least get a second opinion.

Good luck and God bless

Answer 7

if you do choose the surgery be aware that it isn't always 100% effective. i know someone who had the surgery and it can really work. if you have had several varying medical opinions go with the doctor you trust the most, no one but a medical proffesional can help you make a big decision like this. good luck, i hope that everything turns out alright for you

Answer 8

In the end it will be your only treatment. A chiropractor can help relieve the pain for a while but sooner or later it will come back again. Physical therapy will have the same outcome eventually.

Answer 9

Have you tried Sciatica Self Treatment system? Get right here : http://Sciatica.NatureHomeCure.com . This could certainly assist person!

Answer 10

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