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Probably not.
Current research is suggesting that unless there are severe neurological signs (loss of bowel and/or bladder function), surgery is not a good option unless everything else has been tried and has failed.
Similarly, research suggests that imaging such as MRI is not a great indicator of the need for surgery or severness of a herniation, as as many as 30% of the general public with no Back pain at all will have a "herniation" according to MRI (references 1-4 below).
Spinal manipulation by doctors of chiropractic has been shown to be very effective and perfectly safe for the treatment of herniated disks (references 5-7 below). Thus, it is always worth a try to see if a chiropractor can help.
Sometimes very severe disk problems can require a trip to a surgeon to ensure that neurological damage is not a risk. Your chiropractor will be able to inform you of whether or not you need to see a surgeon. Interestingly, a recent study found that 60% of people who were thought to need surgery for a disk herniation causing sciatica benefited equally as well from chiropractic care as they would have from surgery (reference 4 below). Thus, seeing a chiropractor for your disk herniation has a good chance of providing the same benefit as surgery in a majority of cases. A safe approach would be to try chiropractic, if it works (60% of the time) then you can avoid surgery, if it doesnt work (40% of the time) then the option for surgery is always still there.
References:
1) Jensen MC, Brant-Zawadzki MN, Obuchowski N, Modic MT, Malkasian D, Ross JS. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. N Engl J Med 1994;331:69 --73.
2) Boden SD, Davis DO, Dina TS, Patronas NJ, Wiesel SW. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg 1990;72:403-- 8.
3) Jarvik JJ, Hollingworth W, Heagerty P, Haynor DR, Deyo RA. The longitudinal assessment of Imaging and disability of the back (LAIDBack) Study: baseline data. Spine 2001;26:1158--66.
4) Keller RB, Atlas SJ, Soule DN, Singer DE, Deyo RA. Relationship between rates and outcomes of operative treatment for lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis. J Bone Joint Surg 1999;81:752- 62.
5) Oliphant D. Safety of spinal manipulation in the treatment of lumbar disk herniations: a systematic review and risk assessment. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004;27(3):197-210.
6) Santilli V, Beghi E, Finucci S. Chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion: a randomized double-blind clinical trial of active and simulated spinal manipulations. Spine J2006;6:131-137.
7) Liu J, Zhang S. Treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc by pulling and turning manipulations. J Tradit Chin Med 2000;20:195-197.
8) McMorland G, Suter E, Casha S, du Plessis SJ, Hurlbert RJ. 2010. Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study. J Manip Phys Ther. Volume 33, Issue 8, Pages 576-584.
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Will foot drop caused by a fragmented herniated disc go away?
I had a herniated disc in the L5 S1 region that burst and fragmented...surgery went well but I am left with drop foot...will I regain full use of my foot...if so, how long will it take?
You herniated your L5-S1 disc you are scheduled for surgery in 6 weeks you have been taking hydrocodone for about a month will it lower your Testosterone if you continue to take it until surgery?
Hydrocodone does not adversely affect the level of testosterone in your body.
What icd code should be used for s1 L5 herniated disc with s1 radiculopathy?
722.4
What did Randy Orton do to his back when wade pushed him down the stairs?
he herniated a disc (leaked disc fluid) between his L4-L5 in his lower back
I herniated my L5-S1 disc in my lower back I am getting surgery in a few weeks I am a punter and I need to know if I will ever be able to punt again or if it is too risky for my back?
Ask your doctor and trust what they tell you. They can assess your case better than anybody online
What does it mean to have clinical correlation recommended for L4-L5 disc herniation?
It means to have the herniated disk verified by imaging studies such as on an X-ray or CT scan. A herniated disk can only be confirmed by imaging.
What is intervertebral Disc Displacement Lumbar?
An intervertebral disk in which the nucleus pulposus has protruded through surrounding fibrocartilage. This occurs most frequently in the lower lumbar region. Alternative terms: Intervertebral Disk Displacement; Disk Displacement, Intervertebral; Disk Displacements, Intervertebral; Displacement, Intervertebral Disk; Displacements, Intervertebral Disk; Intervertebral Disk Displacements; Intervertebral Disc Displacement; Disc Displacement, Intervertebral; Disc Displacements, Intervertebral; Displacement, Intervertebral Disc; Displacements, Intervertebral Disc; Intervertebral Disc Displacements; Disk, Herniated; Disks, Herniated; Herniated Disk; Herniated Disks; Slipped Disk; Disk, Slipped; Disks, Slipped; Slipped Disks; Disk Prolapse; Disk Prolapses; Prolapse, Disk; Prolapses, Disk; Prolapsed Disk; Disk, Prolapsed; Disks, Prolapsed; Prolapsed Disks; Herniated Disc; Disc, Herniated; Discs, Herniated; Herniated Discs; Lumbar is referring to the lower back L1-L5
Is there new help for Back Pain have L3-L4 Herniated L4-L5 bulging L4-L5 torn disc and multilevel facet arthropathy drs say to young for surgery pain dr recommends yoga is there anything new?
Yes, try Bowen Therapy from a fully qualified registered therapist. I suffered from a bulging disc L4/L5 disc with low back pain, sciatica and leg numbness and wasting starting in 1987. In 1999 I had four Bowen Therapy treatments and have been virtually pain free since.
What does this mean from an MRI L5 S1 disc space is mildly narrowed and the disc is desiccated reactive signal changes in the adjacent vertebral bone marrow?
If you had an MRI and have a mildly narrowed disc space between L5 S1, it sounds like you have a slightly herniated disc. Whenever your doctor gives you a diagnosis, it is best to ask as many questions as possible such as treatment options, pain management, etc.
Can the L5 disc slip forward by a fall?
can your L5 disc slip foward by a fall on your back
What is a paracentral protrusion of disc effaces the epidural fat minimally effaces the thecal sac on L5 S1?
This describes a minor bulging of a spinal disc at the L5-S1 level, which is causing a slight compression of the thecal sac (the membrane surrounding the spinal cord) and minimal displacement of the epidural fat. It may lead to symptoms like low back pain or sciatica. Tracking the condition with a healthcare provider is recommended.
Are herniated discs a result of scoliosis?
Although scoliosis, or abnormal curvature of the spine, may predispose one to disc herniation, a herniated disc signifies that the disc (or jelly-like cushion between each intervertebral spine) has moved out of place. When the disc moves out of alignment, say at the L4-L5 level, and presses upon a nerve root, pain occurs, often felt in the buttocks or back of the leg (and this would then be termed sciatica).
