Question
I am 17 years old and I have had an MRI that shows on my L5 I have a disk extrusion. I was wondering if the there are treatment options available that doesn't consist of some kind of surgery. I saw a chiropractor today and he recommends me going to an orthopedic doctor before he does anything. I am going to do this as soon as I can but in the mean time I was wanting to know what the normal procedures usually are. The chiropractor I saw today said that with the little detached piece that it could settle anywhere. What does this mean for me? Is surgery going to be the only relief for me? I am hoping not due to my age and that surgery would only be a last resort. Thank you very much for your help.

Answer
Hi Michelle,

There is a big difference between a disc extrusion and fragmentation, the later requires surgery. The former does not.

Flexion/distraction is the gold standard for disc extrusions/herniations and bulges, here is a link that describes the procedure.

http://www.coxtechnic.com/