Hi, I have a question. I'm in severe pain all of the time. I have a diffuse posterior bulging of the intervertebral disc at L4-5 and L5-S1. Peri-endplate degenerative changes are present in the bone marrow at L5-S1. My right thigh always gets hard and tight and is quite heavy. It hurts to stand up. Do I need surgery. This is from a recent MRI without contrast. I do not know the answer to the different MRI's. I've been on Wash. State L$I for almost three years, due to thyroid cancer being found before getting the actual injury fixed.