Degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 level

Hi, I am Anu from India,
My wife is having severe pain in her back. We have taken MRI and Ultrasound as per the suggestion from a doctor. The MRI report is

1.Degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 level

2. Diffuse dorsal disc bulge at L4-L5 level with ventral thecal sac indentation and narrowing of inferior recess of bilateral neural foraminae (Lt>Rt)

Can anyone help us to take a decision?

[DrKalraMD]

Hi, decision for surgery depends upon clinical outcome or symptoms, in case with physiotherapy and mild pain killers, if pain is controlled and she is able to do routine work, one should avoid surgery but if pain is unbearable and weakness in legs is affecting her routine, one should go for surgery.

. “Often people who experience a herniated disc already have spinal stenosis, a problem that causes narrowing of the space around the spinal cord and spinal nerves. When a herniated disc occurs, the space for the nerves is further diminished, and irritation of the nerve results”. Taken from
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/herniateddisk/a/ruptureddisk.htm

Treatment involves physiotherapy, pain killers, hot compression and surgery like microdiscetomy. Visit this website for surgical details http://www.spine-health.com/Treatment/Back-Surgery/Surgery-Overview/Lumbar-Surgery/Microdiscectomy-Microdecompression-Spine-Surgery.html