Thanks you Lazy. I am 40 years old my weight is 138 and in 1997 my back got hurt in my work i am a cashier and i pick up a 50pound of dog food to scann it and i got hurt Iwent to the doctor i came out with annular bulging in the same place l4-l5 and l5-s1 the pain was so bad that i could not sleep the doctor tell me that that was a muscle problem and send me to take ficical therapy i get bettler but some times i got hurt and after 3 month i got back to work.Since then i have to be very careful whene i bent or pick up something. I always feel unconftable when i am working but i am a person that tolerate pain so i stay working until jun i really didnt do a great thing i was going to sacn something that was in bottom of the shopping cart and whene i bent just a little to scan it i got hurt i cuoldnt mostly move walk or turn a little to look back .whene i cough or laugh my low back even hurts.i start having problems with my urine i suddenly feel that i have to go to the bathroom and it comes out just a little its horrible.I took therapy with a quiropractic and i only feel i little better that burning in my lowback is killing me mostly at knight and that pain in my legs is really bad.
We can get all caught up in these medical descriptions. Fact is everything you have seems to be moderate compared to some people. Your L-5 (lower lumbar back) to S-1 (upper sacrum -tail bone) joint is not very happy right now. Its inflamed and pissed at you to say the least, but you knew this. Narrowing of disc space happens as we get older. Your large disc buldge at L5 is most likely the cause of the pain. Lateral canal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal cord channel in the vertabre. This sounds bad, but dont freak out. It can happen with age and vertabre being misaligned for a long time - possible from unbalanced muscles. I had some of this, now the pain is gone.
Very important is why do you have this, what caused it? This can help in the healing plan. Muscle imbalance next to accidents are the usual causes. If its muscle imbalance (tighter on one side) this must be treated. And you need someone who understands muscles - that would not be a back sergan! Some herniated discs caused by years of muscle imbalance can heal after the muscles are treated, then pain goes away. Then you can start to re-strengthen your back. Its a long process but better than fusing the spine. One very important step is to lose extra weight if you are to heavy, easier said than done.
Wish you luck, with determination, education on treatment options and time you can heal without going under the knife!