nerve damange

i have been under the dr's care now for almost three years , i was climbing up into my husband 4x4 pickup and over exstending my leg , i went to a ortherpedic  dr and he sent me to a neurology after finding threw a mri i had a bulding disk pushing in on a nerve , i went and had  straction plus i have had injections which didn't help the nerve runs down my leg and burns aand hurts bad , recently my neurology sent me to a spine dr they till me my disk in my back is well now but the pain i'm having is from a damange nerve and there is nothen that can be done but take pain pills for the rest of my life . i'am scared to death of pain pills but i have no choice but take uhm i can't handle the pain . why can't i get some kind of help that i dont have to take pain medications ? please advise , thank you

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. Since you had a prolapsed intervertebral disc, which most likely caused compressive radiculopathy and symptoms, you can get your affected nerve assessed with a nerve conduction velocity study and electromyogram to check the degree of nerve damage. If this is reversible or neuropraxia, then relieving the nerve compression from the bulging disc could offer some help. You would require decompression back surgery for this like laminectomy or discectomy. If the nerve damage were irreversible, painkillers and medicines for neuropathic pain like lyrica would be your therapy options. Hope this helps. Take care.