question: I AM A 53 YEAR OLD MALE WITH RUPTURED DISC THAT STARTED 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE WITH THE BACK PAIN AND MOST OF THE TIME IT SUBSIDES. I HAVE HAD TIMES WHEN IT CONTINUED DOWN MY LEG WITH MORE PAIN.THE MRI SHOWS A PIECE OF DISC BROKEN LOOSE THAT CAN PRESS AGAINST A NERVE AND DOCTOR HAS SUGGESTED SURGERY WHEN THE PAIN GETS OUT OF CONTROL. DOCTOR SAYS ITS SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO REMOVE PIECE. MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE RISK THAT THEIR COULD BE FOR PERMENENT DAMAGE BY CUTTING A NERVE DURING PROCEDURE. IS IT MORE DANGEROUS ALSO TO WAIT FOR SURGERY. I HERD THAT WAITING SOMETIMES CAUSES PERMANENT DAMAGE. THE PAIN HAS STAYED WITH ME THIS TIME ABOUT 6 WEEKS AND IT SOMETIMES UNBEARABLE IN MY LEG.NEED SOMETHING DONE SO I CAN CONTINUE TO WORK.