Subject: options before back surgery for protruding disc at L4-L5
From: Alex Miller, amiller@almaden.ibm.com
Date: 13 Apr 93 18:30:42 GMT
rest

You don't say whether or not you have any symptoms other than pain.
If you have numbness, weakness or bladder problems, for example,
these would suggest a need for surgery. If pain is your only symptom
you might do well to find a reputable, multi-disciplinary pain
clinic in your area. Chronic low back pain generally doesn't do well
with surgery, acute on chronic pain (as only symptom) doesn't fare
much better.
e correlation between MRI findings and symptoms is controversial.