Most people with a herniated disc do not need surgery. Surgery is advised for emergencies (cauda equina syndrome), worsening nerve weakness, or severe pain that has not improved after 6 to 12 weeks of good non-surgical care. Everyone else usually has time to try other options first.
Signs surgery may be the right call
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the saddle area: emergency
- Weakness that is getting worse, such as foot drop
- Severe leg pain that stays despite 6 to 12 weeks of treatment
- Pain that makes normal life impossible and matches what the MRI shows
Back or leg pain for more than 6 weeks? Get the free guide and a doctor review of your scan.
Signs you probably have time
- Pain is slowly easing, even if it comes and goes
- No weakness, or weakness that is stable or improving
- You have not yet had a proper course of physiotherapy
Questions to ask your surgeon
- What happens if I wait three more months?
- What is the chance the disc settles on its own?
- What are the risks of this operation, and how often does the disc herniate again?
- Could an injection, such as an epidural, PRP or stem cells, be tried first?
Get a second opinion
A second look at your MRI costs nothing here. Send it for a doctor review.