I had an operation for a herniated disc where the surgeon just took out the pieces of the broken disc, not the whole disc. I knew I was taking a chance that the disc would herniate again. It’s been four months and I’m starting to have back and leg pain again. What do I do now?

Make an appointment to see the surgeon again. You’ll likely need an MRI to see what is going on. It could be a re-herniation. If that’s the case, then you may be a candidate for a discectomy–the removal of the rest of the disc.

Treating disc herniation with conservative measures may be an option. Sometimes physical therapy and anti-inflammatories can help re-align the disc during the healing process. When these fail, then surgery is the next best option.

Back and leg pain with numbness and weakness are signs that the disc is pressing on the spinal nerve. See a doctor soon because nerve damage can cause permanent disability.