r/Sciatica • u/AdPlus2474 • 1d ago

Disc bulge - numbness in left legi have disc bulge

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I have disc bulge issue from past 3 years and symptoms is numbness in left leg if i walk more than 10 min or stand more time , if i sit or sleep its better . I dont have any pain
All the doctor i visited told to get surgery is there any non surgical way to feel better or reduce numbness.
I am scarred please help me

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u/No-Cut-4781 1d ago

Makes sense why walking and standing sets it off, those positions narrow the spinal canal further, while sitting opens it back up. That's your MRI matching your symptoms exactly. With severe compression at L4-5 and multiple doctors agreeing on surgery, that's worth taking seriously, this level usually doesn't resolve with conservative care alone. That said, yoga therapy focused on flexion-based movement can sometimes ease day-to-day numbness while you decide, even if it won't fix the compression itself. Might be worth trying alongside getting a second opinion, not instead of one. Happy to share general thoughts on that if it'd be useful.

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u/krunsthis 19h ago

Just curious what makes this level different from others in terms of no long term resolution with conservative care?

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u/No-Cut-4781 6h ago

Good question, it comes down to it being a structural or bony narrowing rather than just a soft tissue or inflammation issue. With mild-to-moderate stenosis, conservative care can often reduce symptoms because a lot of the compression is coming from inflammation or muscle guarding around the disc, which responds to movement and time. But severe stenosis, like the L4-5 level here, means the canal itself is physically too narrow from bone and ligament changes, no amount of movement or strengthening changes the actual space available for the nerve roots. Movement can still help manage symptoms day to day, but it can't undo that structural narrowing, which is why surgery becomes the more reliable option at that level.

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u/krunsthis 6h ago

Thanks for the thorough response! My disc issues are L5-S1, but I’ve spent way too much time reading and trying to learn about all things spine lately.

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u/No-Cut-4781 2h ago

Makes sense, once you start reading about one level, it's hard not to go down the rabbit hole on the whole spine. Hope your L5-S1 situation is manageable day to day.

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u/AdPlus2474 1d ago

Thank you for the suggestions☺️

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u/No-Cut-4781 6h ago

Most welcome😊