Good day everyone. I'm a 20-year-old female and I've had a slipped disc causing sciatica since September 2010. I do not recall falling down or hurting myself before the pain started. From the MRI scans, the doctor said it looked like it happened over a period of years.
At the beginning, I had sciatica on my right leg. It was a sharp, shooting pain which made it unbearable to sit or walk for more than 10 minutes. I took pain killers and undergone several chiropractic treatments. The pain went away after a month and a half.
But as the pain started fading from my right leg, I discovered a new pain running down my left. It was a different sort of pain; more of feeling sore and cramps. I could walk longer but the pain was pretty bad that it would cause me to bend over and also I couldn't lie on my back.
This went on for a month until I started the disc decompression therapy (DTS), using a table traction system. I did this for about two and a half months coupled together with physiotherapy. During these two months plus, I had improved a lot. I can walk now, sit, lie on my back. Most of the pain has gone away except for a little around my lower back area and left leg if I move around too much.
I had just finished the DTS program and took another MRI scan two days back to see the results. Unfortunately, despite the improvements in my symptoms...there has been little change to my protruding disc. So, I consulted the spine surgeon and he recommended nucleoplasty.
But I am not too sure if I should go for it. For one thing, I am afraid my disc may be a ruptured/torn disc instead of a bulging one and from what I read, is not ideal for nucleoplasty. And I don't know, I'm afraid of the contraindications of the procedure. Plus, I am already getting better now...so will nucleoplasty still be necessary?
Thanks for all your time

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