Remember, I'm not a doctor, but from what I can see I doubt that any surgeon would do surgery on you at this point. You would do better with physical therapy. I would bet that physical therapy would relieve a lot of your discomfort. I would ask my doctor to refer me to physical therapy for awhile, and see what happens. If you get some results, then keep going for awhile, like as long as your insurance will pay for it. I would think that it would relieve the pain in your leg too.

You COULD take your MRI to a Neurosurgeon for an opinion and see what he says. That's what you SHOULD do. If he suggests surgery, you MUST get 2-3 other opinions before opting for surgery.

Some things you need to know before opting for spinal surgery. First, surgery is NOT for pain. Surgery is for mechanical problems. If a doctor tells you he can take away all your pain, he's lying, because after spinal surgery, you're left with the same pain or worse. You will still need pain medications. Also, after spinal surgery there is what is called the "domino effect." The levels above & below the surgery site will fail, because they have to take on more of the load. This happened to me after I had L4-5 operated on. After surgery, L3-4 failed. And I had to have surgery on THAT level. And of course after THAT surgery, the level above that failed. I decided no more surgery. By that time I'd gotten a computer and was able to do research on spinal surgeries, etc.

Latest studies have shown that people who have spinal surgery have the same results as people who have physical therapy!!! So what does that tell you?? It seems to me that surgeons are pushing surgery when they shouldn't. Too many fusions are being done, and too many people are having trouble with them, but that's only MY opinion.

But please see a Neurosurgeon for an opinion. I hope you don't need surgery. I was never the same afterwards -- in fact I'm disabled. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee