That actually does make sense in some situations. With the bulge on the left, there can be corresponding compression on the right, which can be the cause of the pressure on nerves causing pain. Of course this is all hypothetical.

I very much agree that the right physical therapy should be tried first, and that may take a couple/few tries to find the right therapist with commensurate knowledge, experience, & skill.

Trigger point therapy worth looking at/into also; again, therapist expertise dependent.

Minnesota Girl, I can appreciate your not wanting to live on meds, but they may be necessary to get you through trying some other therapies/treatments short of surgery. Surgery often sounds like the quick fix, but it carries some risks they don't always tell you about (or adequately). It's also not necessarily all that quick; recovery/rehab can sometimes take months, and one surgery can be the beginning of many more to follow. Surgery should always/only be the absolute last resort after all other options have been exhausted and after multiple opinions (and lots of homework). Reason: It cannot be undone. It may be able to fix what's wrong with your spine, but may not be able to fix the pain, and may make it worse.

See if you can get a referral to Pain Management, which should offer you some other options than meds & surgery.

Nobody likes the idea of living on pain meds, but for some, they are the best (and sometimes only) option. Better than the alternative, but hopefully that won't be necessary either - still many options to consider/try.

Best wishes,

Doc