had the same problem 7 years ago, luckily i got away with a steroid epidural and plenty of rest. go and see a doctor sooner rather than later before it gets to the stage of surgery.
Dr-simran is spot on although my doctor called it a prolapsed disk.
hope this helps and good luck
Hello Dear,
The spinal disc is a soft cushion that sits between each vertabrae of the spine. This spinal disc becomes more rigid with age. In a young individual, the disc is soft and elastic, but like so many other structures in the body, the disc gradually looses its elasticity and is more vulnerable to injury.
As the spinal disc becomes less elastic, it can rupture. When the disc ruptures, a portion of the spinal disc pushes outside its normal boundary--this is called a herniated disc or disc protrusion. When a herniated disc bulges out from between the vertebrae, the spinal nerves and spinal cord can become pinched. There is normally a little extra space around the spinal cord and spinal nerves, but if enough of the herniated disc is pushed out of place, then these structures may be compressed.
In your case there is protrusion at L5 .Do you have any numbness or tingling?You should consult a neurologist and get a physical examination done.
Refer http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/herniateddisk/a/ruptureddisk.htm
Best