disc replacement

Obviously I am very nervous about even considering disc replacement since it is major surgery and there does not seem to be any studies on long-term effects. I believe the procedure was only approved in the U.S. within the last year or so, although supposedly it has been done in Europe for a somewhat longer period of time. I need to do some research.

I remember talking with the orthopedic doctors at Kaiser about disc replacement, and they sort of lumped it in with fusion. Bottom line is that almost every doctor has told me that surgery should be a last resort. If I can manage the pain, then it is best to do that and avoid a procedure which may or may not relieve my pain. Once you get surgery, then you've got stuff in your body and you cannot go back to where you were before....