Bulging Disk

[BBar23]

I have been having back problems for years now and I am only 22. I finally got around to getting an MRI and it said I had some sort of herneated disk and I should get physical therapy. (This was like last April.) I never did b/c I really don't have time for it. A few days ago i felt a bump in my left lower back. I figure it is a bulging disk. It hurts but not that bad. The pain used to be worse before the painkillers the dr. gave me. It used to shoot down my leg. I don't work my lower back b/c of the problem except when I do vertical bench leg raises for my lower abs b/c I gotta lose that pouch under my belly button!! What do u guys think I should do? If anything. I would prefer to wait until fall or winter until I do anything that may be serious i.e back surgery. Thanks

[razorcut]

Avoid surgery at all costs. Do the therapy whether you have time or not. I can assure you therapy now is going to take much less time than therapy you'd have to do after a surgery. Be very careful with what lifts you're doing in the gym.....again a good physical therapist could guide you through that. Take some anti-inflammatories for the pain. They're just as effective (if not more) than narcotics.