leg numbness and disc bulges

[mykul]

my MRI says mild circumferential disc bulge @ L-4 L-5 with an annular tear.  At L-5 S-1 there is a mild posterior disc bulge with scar tissue (more so on left)generating mild mass effect. Could this be giving me symptoms of neurogenic claudication? Therapy and injections have not helped. Doctor wants me to have MORE injections. Would'nt surgery totally correct this? I dont want to mask symptoms I want to FIX problem!!

[kaydiane]

for nerve pain i had gabapentin worked well. Also are they definate that the spine is causing leg numbness they were with me until after emg investigation they changed their mind and decided that I had directly damaged the lateral cutaneous nerve in my leg and operated on it, The dull ache in my leg has gone as well as burning etc. The nerve will grow back at 1mm per month so still numb at the mo but they say it will get better..FYI I had a major fall down a flight of stairs bulging L4L5 broken tail bone etc...

[loiskerr]

Yes surgery will help, but it takes a year before you are better. You must follow the doc direction and tuff it through the first 8 weeks. The MRI is needed to fully understand the problem. I also had a CT mylogram which showed much more than the MRI or I've hurt myself futher. But shots and PT comes first before the operation I had 20 shots different kinds, nothing helps if you have heriations sitting on a nerve. Try Lycira for nerve pain. That was better than the narcotics.