[badbackbeauty]

Hi there!
Disc degeneration is very common and for the most part it doesn't cause any major disfunction or pain other than the "normal" aches and pains with that come with age. That being said, there's the lucky ones like us that this condition can seriously debilitate us and sometimes make us bedridden.

Now, based on the i formation you have provided it's hard to know where the pain is coming from. What does your MRI report say? Usually, if you had a bulging or herniated disc at the lumbar level, bending forward would put pressure on the nerve roots and it would send you screaming (at least it does for me and for many others). On the other hand, a facet problem is common to cause pain and discomfort with backward bends and the pain is often alleviated by forward bending.

I am not saying your problems aren't coming from your disc but before looking into major surgery, make sure you know where your pain is coming from. Facet pain are often treated without surgery. For many RFA works very well for their facet joint pain. Review your MRI report, talk to multiple doctors, do extensive research online, and make the most educated decision you can make. In the end if you do need ADR, at least you will know you didn't pull the trigger too early.

I would advice to have an experienced, and knowledgeable (sometimes they are hard to find) physical therapist that can help you identify further where the pain is coming from. Discograms can be false positives and doctors don't take nearly enough time doing a physical exam the right way (like they should). In my case for example, my PT would have me move in different ways and would put pressure in different areas of my spine to see if the pain was reproduced. He concluded that my pain is mainly coming from my discs, but I also have some pain coming from my facets at an upper level. After receiving my MRI report, my PT was right on the money. I have mild facet problems at an upper level that causes some discomfort when I bend my body back.

Feel free to reach anyone here in these forums, they are all great people and if you are new to this, they may be able to point you in the right direction. Take care and good luck!