Question
First symptoms..pain in the lower back(right side) that gets worse when sitting down..periodic mild pain in front of right leg between thigh and knee...period tingling or numbness of top of right foot...pain in lower back when coughing, taking deep breath, even yawning...
Symptoms began about 2 1/2 months ago...I am a 43 years old male...I am very active,working around the house, outdoors activities, etc...I am 6ft tall, 200 pds...up until this started I only had the occasional pulled muscle from overdoing it at times....
After waiting the 2 months(required by the insurance company) I was able to have an MRI...Here are the results..

EXAM: Examination of the lumbar spine.
Multiple sagittal scans of the lumbar spins are obtained with T1 and T2 weighted technique and multiple axial scans of the disc spaces are obtained with T1 weighted technique.

The vertebral body heights are normal.  The intervertebral disc spaces between L2-L3, L3-L4, and sssL4-L5 showed decreased signal intensity suggestive of degeneration and there is an anterior buldge noted at the L2-L3, and L3-L4.  The spinal canal is intact. There is no herniated nucleus pulposus.  Conus is remarkable.  There is a small right paracentral protrusion noted at L4-L5.  There is mild circumferential buldge noted at L3-L4.

Impression: Degeneration of L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5 disc with anterior buldges at L2-L3, L3-L4.  There is small right paracentral protrusion noted at L4-L5.  There is mild circumferential buldge noted at L3-L4?

What is your impression of this information?  I was referred to a "specialist" which will be in late March of this year...There was no mention of a chiropractor....

I am not taking any meds for this(I don't like taking mdeicine), and none were perscribed, advil was suggested.. I am so fearful of the phrase "back surgery" that I don't believe I would ever agree to it...
In your opinion what(if any)things could I do to help my body heal itself? Is it common for this kind of pain to last for months let's say then "go away"...  

Answer
Doug,

In essense, you have a protruding disc that is likely causing your right-sided back and lower extremity symptoms.  These days, thankfully, there is little need for surgery unless you have severe symptoms as well as objective signs ("red flags") of loss of bowel/bladder function, or severe leg pain along with anesthesia around your "saddle" area of the butt and thighs. You should get some relief with conservative care measures.  Much will be learned on your physical exam.  It is important for the chiropractor to test your reflexes, your lower extremity muscle strengths, your skin senation (with a pin-wheel, for example) and also to do some orthopedic joint maneuvers, such as a straight leg raise, a double leg raise, a sitting root test, and a heel-to-buttock test.  After compiling these data, you can get treatment and then re-examination to determine your level of improvement.  Your DC should also have you fill out an Oswestry low back questionnaire as part of your intake information.  Barring any "red flags", you should be quite safe to treat and should expect to experience some relief by about six treatment sessions.  If you don't get any relief at all by about six sessions, then your care needs to be re-assessed.  

'Hope this helps.

Dr. G