I am shocked you were told your disks will heal in time.... they are protruding- that's what a herniated disk is... mine was herniated- I didn't know it and while I was building my deck it snapped off and was cutting through the nerve in my legs- I was misdiagnosed by 3 docs until ONE doc caught it and told me I was fortunate that I listened to my body... one small, wrong move in PT and I would be "peeing in a bag" for the rest of my life..... I had to have the broken portion removed- made a beautiful, exceptional recovery- 10x better than ever predicted- but 1 week after GLOWING post op and prognosis that I would be 100% within a year or so- I was rear ended by some moron not paying attention- herniated two discs in my neck and disrupted ALL the scar tissue that had build up where the disk was removed- leaving me in this condition and living on Disability for the rest of my life..... Make sure you get 2, 3, even 4 opinions...... do NOT rely on just one doctor..... you have to get in front of your body before doc's start poking around... or ignoring your condition.... after my MRI even I could see the broken disk.... but three docs missed it...... there was even a HUGE white arrow pointing to it from the radiologist!!!!!!!