Is there any help for pain related to annular tears?

[nursetn]

I am a 41 year old nurse and I injured my back last May at work. I have undergone exhaustive physical therapy and epidural injections with no relief, only a worsening of pain. I recently had a discogram which revealed diffuse annular tear with disc bulging at L3-4, diffuse annular tear posterolaterally at L4-5, and posterior annular tear at L5-S1. CT showed degenerative changes with an eccentric far right lateral disc bulge at L3-4, minimal bulge at L4-5, and moderate bulge and degenerative change at L5-S1; as well as noting eccentric right disc bulge could contribute to my right leg pain. My pain is constantly at 8-9/10. No medications have helped to relieve my pain and I have now been told that nothing else can be done for me, I must adapt to the pain and expect it to just get worse. I am at their mercy because it is a worker's compensation claim. I would appreciate any input. 3 years ago I had a discectomy at L5-S1 following a herniation.

[Nassim Abi Chahine, MD]

Hello dear, it will be better if you remove the compression from the L3-L4 foraminal space, so do the surgery and dont "live the pain"
DrNassim