Is your diagnosis based on an MRI reading?

Has your diagnosis been confirmed with a spine specialist?

What type of symptoms are you having?

Annular tears can heal with conservative treatments.

First would be a round of physical therapy to help you strengthen your core muscles to support your spine and show you how to continue with core exercises at home using a daily exercise program.

If you have no relief with physical therapy after about 6 -8 weeks then the next step would be epidural steroid injections to see if that will relieve your pain, decrease the inflammation and allow the disc tear to heal.

If conservative measures do not relieve your pain and the disc does not heal on it's own, the surgery is the next step.

The usual first surgery suggested would be either microdisectomy or disectomy.

Fusion is usually considered a last resort as it is a final surgery. Once a fusion is done it can not be undone and is very major spinal surgery.

Starting with a more minimal spinal surgery is the first choice. If not successful, then one can consider a fusion.

You should also get several opinions about surgery before heading in that direction.

Good luck

Fran