Question
My dad has lower back pain a lot. He went to the docter and found out he has dislocated discs. His lower back pain started about two years ago. His thinking about surgery or needle injections but surgery is an idea he really wants to go for because he feels like what if something foes wrong and he can't walk any more or something happens that may affect him after surgery. Needle injections he really thinking about he doesn't know if it's going to affect him later on. Which one is better and will the pain he feels so much ever go away

Answer
Diana,

First, discs don't dislocate. In order of their deterioration, they begin to dry, compress, bulge, and then herniate.

Second, the medical research shows that the majority of patients with low back pain don't need surgery, which is usually only considered after someone has had a failed course of aggressive appropriate conservative care (i.e., chiropractic or physical therapy) and pharmacological agents if necessary (i.e. steroids, pain medications); if they have progressive neurological signs and symptoms; or if they have severe, unremitting pain that is unresponsive to anything else.Is back surgery essential for some people? Absolutely. Is it over-utilized in the U.S.? Yes.  

Third, steroid injections or nerve blocks may be helpful for a subset of patients with low back pain, but these measures are not without their own risks and are usually reserved for those with chronic, severe low back pain that has proven unresponsive to other interventions.

Fourth, conservative care may be helpful, but the research shows that the long the pain has been present, the poorer the outcome tends to be. Additionally, reliance upon passive therapies is not sufficient; the patient must be committed to appropriate lifestyle changes and appropriate self-rehabilitation exercise routines for maximum benefit.

Finally, I can't advise you on whether or not your father should consider surgery or injections; I know nothing about his condition, his current health status, or his previous interventions (if any). He needs to be properly evaluated by a back specialist, which may include a neurosurgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, or a chiropractor (or a combination of these specialists), in order to make an informed decision about which course of treatment would be best for him. Generally, cautious practitioners seek a less invasive approach first, graduating to more invasive approaches as proves necessary.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.