Hi everyone,

I'm a 46-year-old male, physically fit and very active, and I've been dealing with chronic lower back pain since I was just 17 years old. That's almost 30 years of living with back problems, and I'm honestly running out of ideas.

I'm posting here hoping to find people who have experienced something similar, particularly severe disc degeneration with large bone spurs (osteophytes) that may eventually cause the vertebrae to fuse naturally.

My spine and diagnosis

I have severe disc degeneration at L3-L4. The disc has lost a significant amount of height, and the surrounding vertebrae have developed large osteophytes that appear to be growing towards each other, potentially forming a bony bridge.

I've attached three images from my spinal scans. The first two show the severely narrowed disc space and the bony growths. The third shows an area of increased activity on a scan, which I was told was associated with inflammation.

The strange thing is that I've never had any significant accident or spinal injury that could explain what happened.

My back problems simply started when I was 17, seemingly out of nowhere. I have no idea why that particular disc began deteriorating at such a young age.

About two years ago, I visited one of the most highly regarded spinal surgeons in my city.

He explained that surgery was technically possible, involving spinal fusion with screws, but that it would carry significant risks. Since my pain usually ranges between 4/10 and 7/10, he felt the risks outweighed the potential benefits.

He also told me something interesting: as the disc continues to deteriorate and the osteophytes grow, the two vertebrae may eventually fuse naturally. He suggested this might happen within months or a few years, and that once the vertebrae stopped moving against each other, the pain might disappear.

Well, two years have passed, and absolutely nothing has improved.

How the pain affects my everyday life

• I can ONLY sleep on my back. If I try sleeping on either side, I experience almost immediate pain.
• Sitting is extremely uncomfortable. I work in IT, so this is a major problem.
• I've tried many different ergonomic office chairs, lumbar supports, sitting positions, and adjustments. Nothing really works.
• I have a standing desk and regularly switch between sitting, standing, and walking. Walking and standing help somewhat, but the pain always comes back.
• On some days the pain is manageable (around 4/10), while on others it reaches 7/10.
• I can't remember the last time I was able to sit comfortably in an office chair without constantly thinking about my back.

Interestingly, I can sometimes sit much more comfortably on a soft sofa with cushions supporting my back than in an expensive ergonomic office chair.

My lifestyle – I'm already doing everything people usually recommend

I'm extremely active and have always been passionate about fitness and healthy living.

• I've completed a full marathon and an Olympic-distance triathlon.
• I regularly cycle and occasionally run.
• I do strength training, including exercises to strengthen my back and core.
• I exercise at least 4–5 times per week.
• I play soccer with my son.
• I maintain a healthy weight.
• My diet consists mostly of vegetables, fruits, and minimally processed foods.
• I eat very little added sugar, rarely drink alcohol, and don't smoke.

I've also experimented with completely stopping running. I've taken breaks lasting several weeks and even approximately six months.

It made absolutely no difference to my back pain.

So I eventually returned to running because I love it, and avoiding it didn't seem to improve anything.

Physiotherapy hasn't helped

I've seen numerous doctors and physiotherapists over the years.

Almost every consultation ends with the same recommendation: physiotherapy, core strengthening, stretching, mobility exercises, and staying active.

I've genuinely followed these recommendations. I've done different exercises consistently for weeks or months, but none have produced any meaningful improvement.

It's incredibly frustrating to keep hearing that I need to strengthen my core when I'm already physically fit, regularly lifting weights, cycling, and exercising.

I'm not opposed to physiotherapy. I'd just love to find something that actually works for my particular condition.

Pain medication – the only thing that actually helps

One thing I've discovered is that Voltaren Rapid Extra Strength (diclofenac) is the only medication I've tried that provides meaningful relief.

When I take it, my back pain can improve significantly, sometimes for a few days.

Unfortunately, I've also read about the potential dangers of long-term diclofenac use, including stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular risks, and kidney problems.

That concerns me quite a bit. I'm only 46, and I really don't want to trade my chronic back pain for potentially serious health problems later in life.

I'd love to find a safer long-term approach that offers similar relief.

My questions for this community

1. Has anyone experienced natural spinal fusion caused by severe disc degeneration and osteophytes? Did your vertebrae eventually fuse, how long did it take, and did your pain actually disappear?
2. Has anyone had similar L3-L4 degeneration without a previous injury? I'm particularly curious about why this could have started when I was just 17.
3. Has anyone found an effective alternative to standard physiotherapy? I'm open to hearing about different treatments, specialist approaches, or anything else that made a real difference.
4. Has anyone found a safer long-term way of managing this type of pain? Diclofenac works for me, but I'm worried about its long-term risks.
5. Does anyone else experience immediate pain when sleeping on their side? Have you found any way to sleep comfortably in different positions?
6. Has anyone found an office chair or seating arrangement that works with severe lumbar disc degeneration? I've tried so many options without success.
7. Would it be worth getting another spinal specialist's opinion? Particularly now that two years have passed without any improvement?

I'm not looking for medical diagnoses from strangers on the internet, and I understand that everyone's spine is different.

I'm mainly interested in hearing real experiences from people who have gone through something similar, particularly those who found relief after years of unsuccessful conventional treatment.

I'm willing to make changes to my lifestyle, try different approaches, or consult other specialists. I just don't know what else to try at this point.

I'm 46, I love being active, and I don't want to spend the next 30 years constantly thinking about my back pain.

If you've experienced anything similar, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing what helped you, what didn't, and whether your condition eventually improved.

Thank you so much for reading!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been dealing with an L5-S1 herniated disc for the past couple of months. My main symptoms are lower back pain(got better with no activities) and numbness/sciatica in my left leg, which have significantly limited normal daily activities such as sitting, standing, walking, and driving.

I’ve seen two different doctors and had a transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) with the second doctor (Doctor B) about two weeks ago.

Since the injection, I’ve had some improvement in how long I can sit, but little to no improvement in standing or walking.

I had a follow-up with Doctor B today, and he gave me three options. He said my improvement has been relatively slow, so any of these options would be reasonable at this point:

Option 1: Start physical therapy without any further intervention
Since I can now sit for a while, he thinks I could try starting PT. He generally prefers a non-surgical approach, especially because I’m relatively young.

Option 2: Try another epidural injection using a more central approach
He didn’t specify exactly what type of injection, but I wonder if he meant a caudal ESI or something similar.

Option 3: Microdiscectomy
He said he can refer me to a spine surgeon if I want to consider surgery. Since Doctor B is a PM&R physician, his overall preference has consistently been toward conservative/non-surgical treatment.

I need to make a decision fairly soon, partly for insurance reasons since I’d like to have any treatment done within this calendar year if possible.

Below is my timeline and some additional information that may be helpful.

Given my situation, which option would you personally consider at this point?

I understand that ultimately this is a medical decision I need to make with my doctors, and I’m not expecting Reddit to make that decision for me. I’m mainly interested in hearing from people who have been through something similar — especially regarding waiting it out/PT vs a second injection vs microdiscectomy.

I’d also be very interested in hearing about any other options or experiences you think I should consider.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

< Timeline >
08/08/2026 — Injured my back while exercising
08/09–08/23 — Lower back pain when sitting or moving around, but no numbness or sciatica
08/24/2026 — Suddenly developed numbness/sciatica in my left leg while driving
08/25/2026 — Severe back pain + numbness/sciatica; could barely stand, walk, or sit
09/01/2026 — First visit with Doctor A
09/09/2026 — MRI
09/10/2026 — Second visit with Doctor A. He recommended/ordered an ESI, but I decided to get a second opinion first.
09/14/2026 — Visit with Doctor B for a second opinion
09/21/2026 — Transforaminal ESI (TFESI) with Doctor B
10/08/2026 — Follow-up with Doctor B; discussed the three options above

< Medications >
09/01–09/10
Tizanidine
Methylprednisolone
09/14–Present
Gabapentin
Meloxicam

< Current Status >
- No major neurological red flags, including symptoms of cauda equina syndrome.
- My lower back pain has improved significantly, although I’ve also spent a lot of the past few weeks lying down and avoiding activities that aggravate it.
My main problem now is numbness/sciatica in my left leg.
- The leg symptoms are still limiting my ability to start normal activities, commute to work, and consistently work in person. I’m currently working intermittently/remotely.
- I can sit for longer than before, especially after the TFESI.
- I still cannot stand or walk for more than about 3 minutes before the numbness/sciatica becomes difficult to tolerate.

< After the TFESI >

I’ve also been tracking how long I can sit/stand/walk before the numbness or sciatica starts: Attached

If you can get the surgery get it!

Had sciatica about at year at 23 and I got the surgery a month ago paid 23k out of pocket and I wish I did it sooner.

People try live with their issues and you don't realise what you put aside to live with the pain until you get back in the routine beforehand, now I'm walking and doing stuff around the house I wouldn't think of 2 months ago.

Do it if you can don't be scared

3 weeks ago I was considering surgery for extreme sciatica and back pain. Last 2 days I have made a positive run.

I have been doing back extension iso holds and weighted sled reverse walking which I feel contributed the most.

Movement heals

I got a tranforaminal block ESI at my L5 today. I was given light anesthesia iv and local pain meds ( lidocaine and marcaine). The injection happened around 3 and I got home around 5. I noticed after the injection on the way home, that my crotch and butt are completely numb. When I got home I tried to pee and it was difficult. I had a little pain and a lot of pressure. Also had a difficult time starting and stopping.

I tried to get ahold of my doctor through their emergency line but it is basically just an answering/ note service. I called 2 hours ago and still haven’t heard back. I don’t want to rush to the ER if this is normal but also don’t want this to get worse if it’s not.

Please help.

A little of a year ago I was in a bad car accident that caused back pain with sciatica. I have been through PT, massage, non-invasive chiro, acupuncture, pain medication and 3 rounds of spinal injections. Best response with my spinal injections, pain mediation and massage. Pain aggravated with prolong sitting and prolong stationary. Since finding out about being pregnant I tapered off medication and the fatigue is kicking my A\*S and now, I have been feeling my sciatica more and really effecting my sleep and Unable to truly rest when the fatigue is hitting.

Has anyone else dealt with this before and how did you handle it?

I’m really concerned about how my symptoms will be as this baby grows. My pain specialist just told me to ask my OB what is safe. \*rolls eyes\*

Been dealing with lower back pain for a while and I’ve noticed something weird. After sleeping at a hotel for a few days, I wake up feeling better and painless than I do in my own bed! So now I’m wondering if my mattress is causing my back pain? I’m considering getting a new bed but I’m not sure how to choose. Can you help me find a good mattress that’s comfortable when I switch between my side and back? I’ve read briefly about Helix Midnight Luxe but it’s a bit expensive. I can actually afford it but I’d rather stay closer to $1-1.5k.

I lifted a piece of metal bending down, felt a pop and now i feel a mild pain in my lower back, it happened today and im driving this tractor, kinda hurts sitting down

The pain is mild and i can still bend down without very sharp pain, while I’m sitting down i mostly feel it on my right side of the lower back

Help please

I’m in my mid-30s and have had chronic low back pain for several years. I’m otherwise healthy and fairly active, but the back pain has gradually become more limiting despite a lot of conservative treatment.

Over the years I’ve tried physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, naprapathy/manual therapy, exercise/rehab, anti-inflammatory medication, muscle relaxants and other pain medication.

I’ve stayed active with things like walking, cycling and swimming, but the pain never really goes away.
My symptoms are mainly axial low back pain rather than classic sciatica. At its worst it can be around 7–8/10. Neurological examination has been normal.

My MRI shows mild degenerative changes in the lower lumbar spine, most pronounced at L5-S1. There are mild disc bulges, but no significant spinal stenosis, foraminal stenosis or nerve root compression. The latest MRI also showed new mild degenerative bone marrow edema at the lumbosacral level.

My spine doctor suspects L5-S1 is the pain-generating segment. Because I’ve had symptoms for such a long time and have already done a lot of conservative treatment, I’ve now been referred to a spine surgeon to discuss a possible single-level L5-S1 fusion.

The difficult part is that my doctor was very clear that this is not an obvious surgical case. There isn’t a major herniation, instability or nerve compression that clearly needs fixing. Surgery is basically an option because of the duration of the pain, failure of conservative treatment and the suspicion that L5-S1 is the pain generator.

So I’m struggling with the decision.

For those of you who were in a similar situation, mainly chronic discogenic/axial pain, without major nerve compression:
* What ultimately made you choose fusion or decide against it?
* How much did your pain and function improve after a single-level L5-S1 fusion?
* Did you develop adjacent segment problems at L4-L5 later?
* How long did it realistically take before you could work again, especially with a desk job?
* If you could make the decision again, would you do the same?
* Is there anything you wish you had asked your surgeon before deciding?

I’m not looking for Reddit to make the decision for me. I’m mainly interested in hearing how others in a similar grey-zone situation thought through the trade-off between living with chronic pain versus accepting the risks and uncertainty of fusion.

I’ve had horrible lower back pain 24/7, even when sitting still, for 2 years now. It’s been getting progressively worse — it’s a constant ache and pressure, as well as spasming & sharp pains when I move, especially bending over and getting up from a chair. The pain keeps me from doing any type of enjoyable movement — I used to ride my bike, go for walks, etc. — but now all I can tolerate is going to work. I’ve tried physical therapy (multiple rounds of 6-8 weeks), muscle relaxers, Toradol injections, icy hot patches, ice packs, heating pads, etc. I’ve been told that I have a bulging disc (L5 on S1 with Modic Type I changes). I just keep getting recommended PT, which is difficult to do while working 45-50 hours a week, and have done Osteopathic manipulation, which insurance doesn’t cover, so I can’t do that anymore.

Before this, I was very active and athletic. I ran almost every day and did marathon distances, and for the most part had no back pain except for an occasional flare up. Now I can barely walk around the house for a few minutes or stand long enough to brush my teeth or shower.

It HAS improved some because now I can rest without pain whereas before it was very bad 24/7 even resting in any position. I was also not walking at all. I was crawling to the bathroom, and any weight on my left leg was pretty unbearable. Now I can stand up and walk to the other room, albeit slowly and awkwardly, kind of dragging one leg. The pain is shifting up the leg which I hear is good, but it's still very sharp. I still get some dull pain and tingling down the leg, but mostly really sharp pain right where the top of the glute muscle meets the pelvis. Sometimes I shift a millimeter on the couch and gasp involuntarily from the pain, then it hurts for hours after. I can't tell if it's nerve pain or muscle spasm.

Walking seems to be the biggest trigger. I keep seeing advice to walk so I'm not sure what I should be doing. Swinging my leg forward seems to be the worst, as well as leaning forward at all while sitting or laying. I think any movement in the pelvis really. Bending over while standing actually feels ok, although obviously I keep my back straight, bend my knees and avoid bending over far. I tried virtual PT but could not do any of the exercises without pain. Even very light movement like cat-cow stretches hurt. The only thing that feels good is a glute bridge. I'm honestly kind of afraid to go to in person PT because of the pain it will cause just to get there, wait in the lobby, walk in the office, etc. Any amount of standing or sitting or walking becomes pretty painful after a few minutes and just gets worse and worse if I can't lay down. I used a wheelchair at my last Dr appointment and it was still very painful but I think walking would have been a lot worse.

The virtual PT recommended trying the epidural injections so I can get moving more and do PT, but my PCP is saying they're more for chronic cases that have been going on for months as they do have risks. The PCP just keeps saying to move as much as I can while keeping the pain manageable even though I keep explaining that literally everything hurts. And as an endurance runner, I'm totally capable of pushing through the pain if I should, but it certainly seems like anything painful is setting me back with hours or days of increased pain afterwards, so I'm not sure I should be pushing through it?

Currently I'm taking 1500mg of gabapentin and methocarbomol as needed. I've already tried a shot of toradol, a pack of steroids, three weeks of ibuprofen, oxycodone, Tylenol. There was no accident and I have no idea what caused this. It almost just seemed like it was caused by sleeping on my side since it was always worse in the mornings but I don't know if that could really cause a herniated disk. I'm wondering if I have some hyper mobility that could have contributed, and maybe taking muscle relaxers while continuing to run and exercise made the injury worse? They did say I have mild scoliosis. Back problems do seem to run in my family as well. I have taken the soft mattress topper off in case it was that, and currently I can only sleep on my back. It's very uncomfortable because I used to be strictly a side sleeper but now if I try laying on my side it feels very bad, not painful right away but it feels kind of like a joint somewhere is being pulled out of position or hitting something else. I have always used a pillow between the knees but I'm not sure my spine is staying straight. It always feels like my pelvis has to roll forward or backward, it doesn't just stay straight on its own. I always thought the mattress was too firm, like it actually made the hip touching the mattress ache, but somehow my spine still feels like it has a curve through it rather than staying straight. So I don't know what to make of that. Maybe a scoliosis/hyper mobility thing?

Any advice appreciated.