[Maria]

an annular tear I have to say I've lived thru one that hasn't actually progressed any further and stabilized enough not to be a major pain generator. I've had it since my early 30's and it was greatly painful in my early 40's tho that didn't really last that long compared to all the other back pain probs I had ESP a failed percutaneous discectomy at L4 that changed my episodic pain to horrific chronic pain 24/7 which lasted 5 years in an acute stage also gave me burning neuropathies (severe) from waist to feet bilaterally and then after this severe pain let up I still had chronic low back pain and in both lower discs that had been surgerized (discectomies). They both bulged again and I was put on a low dose opioid medication, had 10 years worth of ESIs and 12 years of Neurontin 1800mg/day for neuropathies.

I was recommended to have more surgery by at least 4 spine surgeons who all more or less agreed on type of surgery but decided not to do anything else and to date I'm still very pleased with this decision.

Be careful whatever you do for whatever reason because you have to live with the consequences and they may be good, not so good or terrible. Either way.. the patient is the person that has to accept whatever condition we end up in and hate to say this tho I think for many it's true.. one spine surgery begets another, sooner or later . I'm not saying to not have surgery.. just to be as sure as you're able it's the right thing to do for the right problem.