Should I still need to be concerned about surgery ? Can CT- Epidural help me?

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efang622

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I feel so frustrated and hope I can get some advices.
About six months ago, I had severe pain at my right hip and it ran into right leg, I did a MRI which shows I have a big spine disk herniation ( L5-S11.7cmx1.7cmx1.1)The pain calmed down about 80 % but the rest is constant pain which no long wear off, it is in my right leg ( calf) , The pain is minor ( about 4-5 if the maximum is 10), but if I walk more than one hour and drive more than half hour, the pain will increase.
Recently I did my second MRI which shows the L5-S1 there has been considerable interval improvement, now measuring maximal 1.0cm x0.7cm X0.3.I don’t know what is next I should do, because although the superiorly directed disc extrusion has considerably reduced in size, my leg’s pain has not changed , I am going to see my Pain management doctor again, I’d like to know ,
1) Should I continue try non surgery methoRAB or think about surgery?
2) I heard there is a new technology called CT- guided Epidural I don’t know if someone tried and get great help?
3) It is look like my leg pain already became chronic pain, if I do surgery, How big chance can I still get satisfactory results or it won’t help?

Any advice will be appreciated!
 
Always try non surgical intervention first for back issues. Back surgery is not always helpful either so I would use it as a last resort. But as far as the pain in your lower legs/calf are you sure it is back related? have they tested you for Vascular Claudication?...it is a specific condition in the calves of the leg or legs that if you have atherosclerosis of the lower leg the pain increases with activity...as you noted the more you use your legs the more pain you have? the testing for Claudication is simple as is the treatment but if not treated it will get worse over time...meaning the pain gets to be quite significant with little activity. Good luck.
 
Thanks! I am pretty sure the more I use my legs the more pain I have,
but it will decrease after taking rest. I will try to ask my primary doctor about
Vascular claudication, if you think only specialist can take care this problem,
Please let me know.

Thanks again.
 
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