Question
hurt my back sept.16 2005. had tests found that I had an annular tear L4-5. Did 9 week of physical therapy. after that only received medicine. I was taking it easy for the longest. Will the pain ever go completly away? I am a barber/stylist and I want to go back to work! What more I need to do?

Answer
Dear Audreanua,

Annular tears to the disc can render you with chronic back pain.  Also, just because you did 9 weeks of physical therapy doesn't mean that you had the right therapy.  If all the PT did was hot packs, then you missed out on an entire world of treatment.  You should be exercising, focusing on back, hip/gluteal, and shoulder blade muscles.  You can do this at a gym with help from a personal trainer.   There is no medicine that cures an annular tear of a disc.  Your body is slowly going to scar it over.   You should try chiropractic methods to see if that provides you with relief.  It is possible that your residual back pain is not related to the disc tear.  

'Good luck,

Dr. G