I am 18 and have a herniated disc at L4-L5. Should I get surgery?
I have tried everything– from physical therapy to epidural shots and i still suffer from excruating pain. I have had this problem for almost two years and it has come down to the option of surgery. I don’t want to do it because I feel to young to have a microdiscectomy. I have talked to numerous doctors/surgeons but I keep getting the same advice. What should I do?
If it’s a full blown herniation, and you’ve given it two years, it’s not likely to heal by itself. However, the people who tend to do best with surgery are those who:
A. Have more leg pain than back pain (in fact, they often have no back pain at all)
B. Their pain goes away or signficiantly lessens upon sitting or lying but comes back the instant they stand
C. L5/S-1 problems do better than L4/L5 problems
D. The surgery is done within the first 10 weeks.
If A & B still describe you, I think you’d still benefit from surgery. A microdiscectomy is a pretty easy recovery. Leg pain usually subsides instantly or within a few days after the surgery. Minimal physical therapy (if at all) is required, people are usually back to work in a couple weeks to four weeks (depending on what they do).
If this doesn’t describe you, I’d also consider the following:
1. What did your therapy consist of? If it included nothing but modalities or “core stabilization”, I’d consider seeing a physical therapist who is certified in mechanical diagnosis and therapy. www.mckenziemdt.org It’s a different way of problem solving that is very evidence based. However, most physical therapists do not understand this. Seeing someone who is certified in the method can assure you that you should get a very honest prognosis. If they can’t help you, it will be evident very quickly.
2. Some form of traction or decompression therapy. I would only do this if your leg pain is not severe and doesn’t always go past the knee. If you are like A & B above, I would NOT do this therapy.
Good luck
|
|
Arthroscopic Microdiscectomy: Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery $45.95 … |
|
|
Arthroscopic Microdiscectomy $142.00 … |
|
|
Arthroscopic Microdiscectomy: Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery … |