I have been in spine care for the past few years in Texas. You do not have to have surgery right now and it doesn't sound like it is serious enough to warrant back surgery. Back surgery is something you never fully recover from. Take my advice, get some ESI's, do physical therapy and get on a good anti-inflammatory. Any surgeon will tell you SURGERY now because that is where the dollars are. Problems is, once they do the surgery, YOU have to live with it. Finish the big goals such as school and career and then proceed with surgery.