Acute Cervical Disc Prolapse

[JanAlexis]

Hello Doctors!
I would like to ask about my condition.Am male, 31 years old.History was, i just woke up one morning that I felt like I'm having a stiff neck. But as days goes by, the pain is getting worst. After 2 weeks, I went to my Orthopedic Doctor and we took Xray. He gave pain killers for 7 days, and advice if pain is still present after these medication, I should be doing an MRI so he could see the problem. After 7 days, pain is still there so i have gone for the MRI. The result was:
-Straightened Cervical curve.
-Intact cranio-cervical junction.
-Normal bone marrow signal pattern.
-Minimal posterior disc bulge at C3-4 just touching the theca.
-C4-5 diffuse posterior disc bulge with right posterolateral disc protrusion compressing the theca & partialy encroaching pon right neural foramen.
-C5-6 diffuse disc bulge with central & left paracentral disc protrusion compressing the theca & encroaching upon left neural recess & exit foramina & resulting in discogenic canal stenosis.
-C6-7 posterior disc bulge impressing the theca.
-C7-D1 central and left paracentral disc protrusion impressing the theca sac.
-Mild posterior disc bulge at D1-2 mildly impressing the theca.

Opinion: Multilevel disc lesions as described above.

I showed it to my orthopedic doctor and after reading it, he advice me to visit my neurosurgeon doctor since i was diagnose with an "Acute Cervical Disc Prolapse". When my neurosurgeon read the written report and watched the film of the MRI, he told me that he dont want to push me into surgery. He have given me medicines like pain killers for two weeks. If pain is still there, we will review if i will be needing a surgery already. I took a second opinion from another doctor. He told that we must avoid opration as much as possible since am still young. He adivce to take the medication in a longer duration. Im in the stage of medication right now (just a week old).

Could you help me for the following:
1) Do i really need the surgery? Am having pain but up to know, it is still tolerable.
2) Will medicine works to cure it without surgery? and for how long?
3) Am active in sports (Lawn tennis) will I stop the activity?
4) Usually, what is the resason why i got this problem since I am having an active lifestyle.
5) What might be the complications if I will just leave it and continue the medicine. Will it damage the nerve?

Thank you very much doctors and I hope you will be able to help me.

Best regards,

-Jan

[JanAlexis]

Hello! Goodluck Ms xrds! I wish you good health and I Hope that you will recover soon!

[xrds]

Hi, i am having the same thing, it has been over 3 months now, my neurologist has said he doesnt want to rush into surgery so i have to sit and do nothing for another 2-3 months in the hope it will heal itself,its now been another month since that appointment and its getting worse and worse, tomorrow i am having a nerve root block, so hope this helps. everyone keeps saying to me not to leave it too long as i could end up with permanent nerve damage, how long is too long to wait before we go ahead with the surgery, right now i say bring it on and end this pain.