 [ Symptoms ] i ve slipped disks since 4 yrs i dont have leg numbness but back pain does slip disks transform into cancer in long run i have an mri scan and it shows that l3 l4 l4 l5 l5 s1 are the ones which are affected i have consulted a spine surgeon and he said that as long as i do not feel numbness in my leg no surgery is required and the back pain will settle down on itself he also said that the leg nerves are not been pressed by the slipped disks that is why i do not have the leg numbness he also said that the surgery cannot relieve me from back pain but even after 4 years i do not get rid of the back pain [ Disease ] an epidural steroid injection is a common procedure to treat spinal nerve irritation that is caused by tissues next to the nerve pressing against it the beginning of the nerve nerve root is most often irritated by an inflamed intervertebral disc or disc contents directly touching the spinal nerve an epidural steroid injection involves bathing an inflamed nerve root in steroids potent anti inflammation medicine in order to decrease the irritation of the nerve root that is causing pain