pain down the legs.. ohh yes I know what you are talking about!
I had a major hernia, I and had my surgery nov 2007.
It wasnt indeed a normal surgery as they had to take the disc out and put two titanium spacers in instead, then it was four months waiting for fusion.
Some pain is still present from time to time but surgery had to be done because I was risking to be paralized.

If I were you I'd get three of four opinions and do the surgery if needed.

IMO 8 out of 10 Chiro's are qwacks!and just in it for the money. I have been to 12 Chiro's since is was 21 (now 44) and I have enjoyed the positive benefits of 3 of them. I still go once a month to Dr. Lockhart for maintaince and occasional problems. First injury was on the job resulting in a bulged/herniated disc that just about made me helpless because I was youg and tuff for too long. The good Lord was looking out for me and my First Chiro was a good one and he cared. I did all my PT and more and followed the Dr. instruction to the "T" and I have never had any further problems with this part of my Lumbar area. A motor cycle accident and a compression fracture in the T5 dicsc still gets grumpy if I don't take care of it. I do stretches and exercises regularly for maintainance. I also have an inversion pod that helps with decompression. IMO surgery would be my last stand and only done after alot of research. I have a friend that is a nurse at an orthopedic hospital. From what she has told me and described Doctors are much like mechanics, some bad, alot of average, and a few very good ones! Find the very good one as it will make a hugh differance if you go that direction. Start looking now while your head is clear and you are motivated because when you are at the point of needing surgery you will not be in a good frame of mind to make the BEST choice.

I did the same thing about 5 years ago. My Dr. set me up for the shots. I did 3 in a row, one shot a week for 3 weeks. The first one helped about 15%, second one about 25% and the the 3rd one helped about 80%. He recommended me not to do surgery, he said that should be the last resort and he is a surgeon. He told me that I would always have some sort of back pain for the rest of my life and he was right. You will never be a 100% again, I can tell when I have over done it and you just have to take it easy..Hopefully the shots will help.

Good luck,

SW

If you needed surgery you would know it. Surgery is required when you have cord or nerve damages. If you have either you will loose strength in the associated part of your body. Certain middle back areas will cause you to loose feeling in your legs or even bowel control. Surgery does not usually correct pain issues unless the are associated with nerve damages or compression.

I think it is like 65% of Americans have herniated discs. Some do not know they even have them. Everybody has a different name from ruptured to slipped. If your disc was truly ruptured and hitting your spinal cord you would be in the hospital as you wouldn't feel a part of your body.

Injections do help but also be careful and make sure they are done by either an orthopedic surgeon or a certified pain mgt Doctor. Most back pain is muscle related caused by the body trying to correct itself from the disc movement.

Try a pilates based physical therapy and stay away from most chiro's. If you think your back hurts now think how it will feel after you operate on it. That is why you only get surgery to relieve loss of feeling or shooting pain not muscle pain in your back.

Akrapovic, last July I pulled my back. hobbled around for 3 months thinking my back would get better. Back was killing me, sciatica made my foot numb and leg cramp. Finaly took advice from all friends and family and went to Doctor at Kaiser. Doc sent me to neurologist and ordered an MRI. Results came back. the Doc described my herniated disk as a "doosy". While waiting for MRI results, I consulted with a "cractopractor". Chiro. had a lot of experience with this kind of injury. He was an Olympic skier in the seventies and had similar injury. He suggested "spinal decompression". I went back to Kaiser Doctor to tell him about this spinal decompression. The Doc recommended a surgery. I told him that I wanted to think about it for a while and look more into decompressions. He smiled and said that the chiropractor would not hurt but that I would be back to get the surgery. I started decompressions in late Sept. It took almost 3 months for my back to unlock. sciatica pain faded but is still there. Chiro. said it takes 12 - 18 months for disc to heal. This journey has gone pretty much as the chiro. said it would. It's slow but it is working. I can walk normally and do most all activities but I'm very careful. Hope this helps and hope you fully recover.

L4, L5, S1
 

My wife has herniations at L4, L5 & S1... she goes in for her third shot on Friday. First one did nothing... second gave her relief for about a month... hopefully the third will get her to 80% like SW! It's really hard for her with our two small boys, 4.5 and 9 months! Especially with the baby weighing in at 25lbs and crawling around like he's got a 100hp NOS shot all the time! LOL

Best of luck to you!! Get the shots, do PT as eveyone has said, and stay away from the surgery if you can!

V/R,
Ty

I'm in the same bost. A drunk driver hit me while I was riding my motorcycle. I was lucky enough to be alive, but my L3, L4 and L5 are ruptured. The best advice I can give is physical therapy and you might try accupuncture (spelling I know). I have done the chiropractic thing and it did help but I still have injury to my left shoulder and neck area. The chiro Dr didn't help that so I am going to try accupuncture next.

You definitley need to look into spinal decompression or actually google Vax-D (vertical axial decompression therapy) to find out if there are any Chiropractors or Doctors in your area with a Vax-D machine (I could get you the hook-up if you were in OKC).

You owe it to yourself to at least try this route before surgery. Believe me...I went throught the Vax-D therapy for two blown and three bulging discs and I'm so glad that I did that rather than surgery.

I had a hernaited disc from playing hockey for over 2 years, many physio, chiropractic visits later, seeing specialists, x-ray, bone scan & CT-scan plus about 6 months or so of stretching and core excersises.

I finally started to feel better after after forcing myself to sleep on my back and geting a new memory foam mattress (I sell them so it was a no brainer)

I'd recommend one of these mattresses and FORCE YOURSELF to sleep on your back.

I had a similar problem after years of Aus rules football & a desk job. Lasted about 1 year with all sorts of injections, physicl therapy etc. Finally saw a surgeon & after a bit of convincing, had the job done. Was laid up for 8 weeks bdfore I could do any exercise.
When I could get back into movement, he advised me to work myself as hard as I could & let my body (pain) tell me my limits. Ended up fitter than I'd been in 10 years & now, 4 years later, my back is still as good as ever.
My only suggestion to you would be, make up your own mind. Don't listen to the horror stories of the past or old wives tales, listen to your doc, & the little man in your head.
And good luck! I still remember the pain of that year & wouldn't wish that on anyone.