back surgery

[fairylady77]

in your best medical opinion.....

i have a ruptured disc at L5-S1 with nerve displacement. what is the maximum amount of time to wait to decide on surgery? what if its been more than a year since the injury occured? would surgery help at that point, or would it be best to leave it alone? what would be the success rate after waiting this long to have surgery? i just dont know what to do. thanks.

by the way, its not me prolonging my treatment...thats out of my hands.

[caityc]

I'm not a doctor, but I can share my experience. I think any doctors goal is to first try conservative treatment before operating (epidurals, physical therapy, etc.)

I have had degenerative disk disease for at least 4 1/2 years, and have spent the last 2 years going to a chiropractor. Starting around June I noticed his treatments weren't as effective, and I was still in pain. I finally had an MRI in November and I discovered I have a herniation in the same disk you do. Since I have tried spinal traction, physical therapy and chiropractic in the past, my doctors are willing to operate, and I am willing to let them. I am only 33 years old with 2 kids and I'm sick of living this way.

My neurosurgeon doesn't believe a diskectomy would work for me because my back is as bad as it is, so he referred me to a spinal specialist so get a consult for a fusion.

If yours is an accute injury, it is possible a diskectomy would work for you. I know several people who have had them and are quite happy and back to normal.

Good luck to you!!!!!!