frequently the decision regarding whether or not to have spinal surgery is related more to symptoms than to clinical findings. for instance one person may have pain and loss of range of motion with very little disc compression. this situation might lead to surgery. another person may tolerate much more disc compression and avoid surgery. if i were you i'd go into my appointment prepared to discuss how my back problems were affecting my activities of daily living pain level and general functionality. i'd also get my surgeon's opinion about the clinical findings in terms of whether permanent nerve damage or injury to the spinal cord proper could occur from the disc compression you already have. it's great to hear you're gathering as much information as possible in advance of your surgery consult. being wel-informed will help you and your surgeon make a decision together that's right for your needs at this time. i wish you all the best!
how much compression of disk allowed before replacement needed? . l-5 /s-1 have lost 1/2 height of disk. mri shows: full compression left s-1 nerve root 1/2 compression through spinal cord pushing right and slight compression right s-1 nerve root. looking for information before surgeon appointment and not finding much info. just to have the knowledge before i go.