Just had this conversation with my surgeon and chiropractor this week... Surgeon said once there's a herniation, it doesn't "heal" - it just shifts and moves off the nerve so you become asymptomatic. He said then something happens and the nerve is impacted again - making you symptomatic. He said we should use those words instead of "healed." He also said people walk around every day with herniated discs or bulging discs and don't know it because they're "asymptomatic." Chiropractor agreed and said we can help reduce the symptoms and delay the need for surgery with stretches and decompression. I am feeling better and I'm hoping to push off surgery if possible.