What is the best treatment foa herniated disk?

I was recently diagnosed with a severely herniated disk in my neck. I've tried physical therapy, no help. I want to avoid surgery at all costs. Anybody out there have a similar experience they can share? I am in so much pain, I hate this!

Unfortunately my family has had years of experience with this problem.
One sister waited too long and it did permanent damage and has had another surgery last year after working with a chiropractor trying to put it off. The result was that she still has some pain because it had ruptured so badly.
My daughter had surgery in her early twenty's , once since then and is now trying to wait until summer to have surgery again.
The bottom line and my advice is that you can sometimes prolong the surgery but not avoid it. I can feel for you.

I had disc replacement surgery on my neck . It was the disc between the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae . I too was in tremendous pain but opted for the surgery and in my case am glad I did because now the pain is gone and the surgery only lasted about 45 minutes to an hour at most . They sliced my neck in the front and went in that way as opposed to cutting into the rear of the neck . Then they took out the bad disk and replaced it with bone from a cadaver . After the operation the 4 inch scar on my neck completely healed rather quickly and is not at all visible now . I do experience some slight numbness in my right thumb but other wise I'm fine from the surgery . I had an experienced neurosurgeon perform my surgery also . If you are not wearing a soft cervical collar I'd recommend getting one with a Velcro strap from a local pharmacy they work wonders redistributing the weight and relieving a good measure of the pain . You may hear many stories about such surgeries but I'd do it again no problem . Surgery for this condition isn't nearly as bad as you would expect and I was quite relieved . They will give you medication to calm your nerves and you will be put to sleep and wake up after the procedure is finished .

The first thing is to get a second and even a third opinion as to your condition. Medicine is not black and white as a lot of doctors would like you to believe. You should have at least one opinion from a neurosurgeon.

I had a severe herniated disc in my lower back...I wanted to avoid surgery as well only to ultimately have surgery.
I tried physical therapy for a while, then steroid epidurals...all to no avail..if your disc is that severe you WILL have to have surgery. I waited until I had mild permanent damage. Dont risk it. They now have new techniques. You dont want to end up with permanent nerve damage.

A GOOD chiropractor preferably one who uses an acitvator instead of a bone cruncher.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.