“Is surgery the only option for a disc bulge?”

Consult Functional Medicine and start Acupuncture with Moxibustion.

For some people surgery is best. If you are having as much pain as you say and nothing is helping then I would talk to the Doctor about new things (surgery) that can be done

Depends on the clinical symptoms. Most cases, if symptoms are not severe, settle under controlled medication and physiotherapy treatment. Occasionally, alternative treatment of acupuncture could also help.

If you can find a STEM cell implant center with a good outcome, it is the procedure of choice these days. However, it is an expensive procedure, and many centers ask for cash as insurance does not reimburse it many times.

While a period of rest is initially recommended, physical therapy is the cornerstone to improving core muscle strength which may improve symptoms. The younger you are, the more likely the disc is still liquid enough to resorb and retreat back into the disc space and not herniate into the spaces where nerves are. Chiropractic manipulations may help realign the bones enough to allow this to happen. Your treating surgeon may also recommend epidural injections to facilitate this herniated disc to retreat. If all this is not working, you will likely get an EMG which can show the surgeon that the nerves transmitting signals to the muscles are injured and the muscles are dying. Surgery may be recommended, but understand that the reasons are to prevent further damage. You will likely still notice weakness after the surgery. You can try acupuncture, but it is not helpful to the majority with disc problems.