There are two effective treatments from a doctor’s standpoint for the herniated disc. You can either A.) Go to physical therapy and work at making it better, or if that doesn’t work B.) get surgery. Those are the only two really definitive cures or the herniated disc.

The cortisone injection will probably help for awhile. However, it may take a few days for you to notice the improvement. For a long term relief you may need surgery. I had a laminectomy and that repaired the spine and gave me some relief.

The cortisone may give you relief for a while but you should think “repair” and not “cure”. Surgery may be inevitable.

Be cautious of chiropractors. In some states they are not required to have a medical license so they are not actual medical doctors. Do your research online and get second opinions.

I’m glad to hear that you aren’t fallin for the Chiropractor Farce!! Yes, the shot will get you through your trip to Mexico, depending on what you plan on doing there. If you are gonna take advantage of all the water sports, I wouldn’t plan on the shot keeping you pain free. But just general activity, you’ll be fine. It is kinda uncomfortable for 2 or 3 days after the injection. Then its good for about a month.
I have my disc removed from between L4 and L5, last December, and I feel great. Recovery was a piece of cake, and I would recommend it for anyone, young or old. Don’t listen to all of the fairy tale back surgery stories that people want to preach. That stuff might have happened 20/30 years ago, but not now!!!!!
To keep going for the shots to me, was just time consuming and expensive and didn’t seem logical when I could get it taken care of all at once.
Have a great Vacation!!

I would strongly suggest consulting a Chinese medicine practitioner, particularly one who is certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbology. Acupuncture is the most effective modality for treating pain and related conditions, including disc herniation and other spinal injuries. In conjunction with Chinese therapeutic massage (tui na), acupuncture can help alleviate the pain and discomfort of disc herniation. With appropriate treatment this condition can be greatly improved.You can find a certified acupuncturist in your local area by going to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) website – http://www.nccaom.org/find.htm
Go to the bottom of the page to locate practitioners.

You’ve not really specified what’s your problem, rather just stated a diagnosis. Pain? Numbness? Loss of motor function. Bowel/bladder problems?

There’s plenty of people walking around with herniated discs who never become symptomatic in any sense, yet there are also people who have very mildly herniated or bulging discs who have serve pain or numbness.

Your symptoms will be a factor in your decision of a “cure”. Since you are getting ready for a vacation, my guess is that you are still ambulating (maybe with pain). Any surgeon worth considering as a your physician should have told you already, “you should only come in here for surgery when you can’t walk in here any more”.

Your last consideration in choosing your course of action is the determination as to what got you a herniated disc to begin with. Was it trauma? Car accident? or something more subtle like bad posture before picking up a roll of toilet paper from under your sink?

What ever it was that got you to this point, consider if you will be participating in the same behaviors in the future.

While the last place I’d look for a cure for a herniated disc is Yahoo Answers!, I’d consider a conservative approach for now. You’re young and have the potential to recover, or at least keep your condition at-bay without surgery.