Brief Answer: Considerations Detailed Answer: Thank you for submitting your question. I can appreciate that you must be in a great deal of pain and discomfort, and I am sorry to hear about this. Generally speaking, disc herniation can be managed with rest, with medication (pain relief and anti-inflammatories), with physical therapy, and in some instances with surgery. In your particular case, there are multiple foci of herniation and a multi-modal approach would likely be optimal. In order to most accurately determine if you are a candidate for surgery or strictly medical management, a thorough physical examination and review of your imaging is needed by a neurosurgeon who can also take into consideration your past medical history. It is unfortunately impossible to definitively predict the need for or outcome of back surgery in any patient without the physical examination and considerations of the above factors. If you believe that your condition is not being managed properly or that your concerns are not being addressed, I encourage you to seek another opinion from a neurosurgeon in person. I wish you all the best and hope the new year begins a journey to relief of these symptoms. Sincerely, Dr G

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