I had a badly herniated disk in my neck. The pain was awful and constant. It radiated down my arm and led to weakened muscles in my shoulder, chest and arm. The doctor insisted on surgery. I didn't like the idea of carving away at my spinal cord with a scalpel and everything I read and heard suggested surgery was often a temporary fix that led to further issues down the road.
At the advice of a friend I spent a year undergoing chiropractic care, rehabilitative stretching and exercises, and Accupuncture. After 9 months my pain was gone and by a year I had all my strength back. It's now been over ten years. Now and again I get a flare up, but the stretches and a visit to the chiropractor sets it right.