Does the whole leg hurt from the back down, or is it just the calf? It sounds like sciatica to me, but usually it hurts on the outside of the leg down to the foot, although not ALL the time.

I have severe sciatica and (believe it or not) I've had it for 27 years. The sciatic nerve has been permanently damaged. And it hurts!!! No surgery will work for me because the disc isn't bulging. I've already had surgery at L3-4 and L4-5.

If I were you, I would get a referral to physical therapy and stay with it for as long as you can (especially pool therapy.) Surgery is for mechanical problems ONLY. Surgery is NOT for pain. Chances are excellent that you'll still have the same pain or worse after surgery. Also there is the "Domino Effect" which the doctors don't tell you about. This is where the levels above/below the surgery site fail. That's because they have to take on more of the load after surgery. Then you need more surgery. And after you've had more surgery, you'll need more surgery due to THAT "domino effect." It's a vicious circle.

Later studies have shown that people who have had surgery have gotten the SAME results as people who have gone thru physical therapy!!! What about THAT!!! That's a lot of pain to go thru for basically nothing!

I would try any/ALL conservative methods before opting for surgery. And the ONLY reason I would have surgery is if I was in danger of permanent nerve damage or if my spinal cord was being impinged. When I had my surgery, it was before the internet -- I had no way of researching or talking with other people who had undergone similar surgeries or had similar problems. So I was pretty STUPID -- and just went ahead with the surgery. NO WAY will they ever touch me again -- but they can't anyway. I'm inoperable.

I wish you the very best. Please take care and let us know what happens, will you please? I'd appreciate it! God bless! Hugs, Lee