My advice - is to get aggressive with treatment but avoid surgery. Physical therapy is worthless IMHO. Find a good neurologist who will treat with powerful steroids and anti inflammatory medication injected in the effected epidural space. Not the greatest procedure but the best outcome I believe. And then use primary care docs as needed to be prescribed general oral or injection of steroids. Avoid "conservative" medical treatment. Get on a low inflammatory diet. My 2 cents only and I'm not a doctor.
If you get an epidural that requires an MRI, and an epidural combined with an MRI to not have that not show up the only option is out of pocket and that would cost a lot.
Most things are case by case. If you been at least 12 months pain free, no further care/meds, and x-rays show good health then you will usually get a waiver approved. I am NO doc but I do have waivers and they were passed pretty easily and that’s what I got told by docs. No meds, x-rays clean, mobility and range full, and no need for further care or treatment in the past 12 months.
I know current pilots with rods and screws still in from broken bones. All sorts of stuff and it all was by case by case basis.
Bulging disc and herniated disc 90% heal on their own but it TAKES TIME. Months of care. Ice, and don’t stop icing reduce the inflammation. If it is inflamed the nerves will be under pressure resulting in your body not wanting to heal. Aleve, ice, COLLEGEN huge(buy bone broth powder on Amazon), vitamin D, and move you have to walk and move.
There’s stuff called alpha lopiac acid I believe a lot of nueropathic docs tell to take. It’s for your nerves to keep them in good health.
Also do Superman’s, lower back exercises, and core but focus on planks and not too much bending at the waste don’t bend at the waste that will make it worse