The information supplied is incomplete regarding the need for surgery. You most likely have a disc herniation at L4-5 that is compressing the left L5 nerve. That can cause the pain you describe. The indications for surgery are motor weakness, cauda equina syndrome and pain that cannot be tolerated.
If you have no motor weakness (you can walk on your heels keeping your toes on the left side in the air) and you don’t feel like you are going to sprain your ankle (inadvertently turn your ankle in with walking), you most likely do not have motor weakness. However, if you cannot perform the above activities, in my opinion, surgery is necessary.
You do not have cauda equina syndrome (the herniation is not large enough to cause that according to the report). If you have no motor weakness but the pain is severe, surgery can be contemplated. If you want to try to reduce the pain without surgery, you could try an epidural injection and oral medications.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
