I've had a tricky back for years, but it's been manageable. I just know that if I exert myself (helping someone move, heavy yard work, working on the car, etc) that I will pay for it over the next week or so. I've also always assumed that there isn't much you can do for a bad back short of surgery, which I've thought to be a fairly high risk/low reward proposition. So I've ignored it.

But lately, it's a lot worse. I find that I can't sleep on my back without my feet going numb. I can't sleep on my stomach without waking up with my back all locked up. Sneezing or coughing is the absolute worst, sending sharp pains through my lower back. Camping two weekends ago I thought I was going to die sleeping on the ground after backpacking several miles.

Assuming that I have a herniated disk in my lower back, what are the treatment options, if any? Is it even worth exploring with a doctor?