I had severe pain from that condition about 12 or 13 years ago. I spent three weeks in bed, and still take NSAIDs, but nowadays that's mostly for arthritis. I also do back excercises every morning.

My advice would be like most of the above--make surgery the very last option. If you have to have another MRI, ask them to put a towel over your face before they slide you into the round coffin-thing--then you can't see it. (That's not a joke, by the way--it worked for me.)