Hate to hear about your back problem TOO! Back in March I had two herniated discs in my neck, between C4 & 5 and between C5 &6. The MRI showed they were pretty bad and the pain I was having was unbearable even with pain meds and muscle relaxers. Doc said therapy could make it worse before it got better with the condition it was in so we decided to have surgery. Was in for surgery and immediately after the only pain I had was at the incision site. Was a 2 night stay for me and I was released. Had to take it easy for a couple weeks before I could go back to work and now I have been released completely. Lost a lot of strength due to not doing anything and not being able to use my neck but things are coming around now. Basically they went in, put a piece of cadaver bone between the C4-C5 and between C5-C6 and a plate over each with a couple of screws.
Around the same time my mom went in for outpatient surgery on her lower back. She spent well over a year going to therapy and doing this and that but nothing helped the pain. Said it TOO was a herniated disc. Decided to go to another doctor for a second opinion and they spotted a sharp edge, likely calcium build-up of sorts, that was pinching her disc. So they went in and basically ground off that sharp edge on the inside of her vertebrae. Was done in no time and was sitting at an IHOP for a late lunch with no more pain!!!
Since my surgery I have met so many people that have had similar problems as I had. Most all have gone the therapy route only to have lingering pain or times where it just comes back and shuts them down for a while. Every one of them have said it hasn't been worth it and wished they had done surgery. Of course I am still recovering so to speak so I don't have many years to show for it but my FIL had the same surgery quite a few years back and from the day he walked out of the hospital he has had no other problems. Bout the only lingering thing I am worried about is all the Dr. bills that have come in as a result.......
