I'm looking for some advice or experience with Annular Tears. I have a Tear at L5/S1 which happened during 8/2009. I do all the right things. I eat right (lost 25 pounds), Core, stretch and strengthening exercises daily and do no bending, twisting or heavy lifting. I have a
Teeter Inversion table and hang upside down like a bat daily.
The pain is primarily sciatica down my left leg. Back side of thigh to top of foot. It's fairly constant, but fluctuates in degree of pain. It's odd that my tear is center to right, but my symptoms are left leg. Very little back pain. MRI showed the tear (Hiz), but no compression and good disk height.
Does anyone have any experience or know of anyone that has had success with Annular Tears? Do they or can they really heal as the medical community states. Haven't seen a chiropractor, don't think they have anything to offer. However I could be wrong, do they have any "magic bullets"?
I'm hoping surgery is not in my future. However from my research it looks like ADR or Fusion is the only treatment. However my Ortho. surgeon who did my cervical fusions and Stenum repairs suggested if needed, he could do a micro discectomy and remove the troubled area.
Any help is appreciated.
PS - Just to save time from any WEB site suggestions. I have seen every WEB site imaginable about tears, including chirogeek.