[CharlesinCharge]

Poonay,

I think the big question here is what is your pain generator---the nerve that is being compressed by the herniated disc, or the disc itself?? If it is just nerve pain (which is suggested by the arm pain & weakness), then a simple Microdiscectomy (outpatient procedure that takes about 30 minutes, you go home that day) could do the trick. They make a small (1 cm) incision, use a small endoscope to get to the disc, and then remove the bulging portion that is pressing on your nerve and causing the symptoms. However, if the disc is degenerated as well as bulging and the pain is coming from the disc itself, a Microdiscectomy will not work. The disc needs to be removed, and as Mark said you then have a choice between fusion or artificial disc replacement.

Rather than worry and fret, why not go see a spine surgeon or neurologist and get a professional opinion? Your first step is to find out the exact cause of your pain, then you can determine how to treat it. Until you do that, everything else is just conjecture.

Good luck,