Back Problem - What to do next?

I am more of a on the side of Science guy  . I have stenosis and can't fix it with pills, or needles  but they do the surgery that relieves the pressure of the nerve and by also fusing the joint to strengthen it can live a normal life . In this day and age of medicine they are pretty good at what works and what doesn't work .Some people will do anything to not have surgery . But surgery is really the only way to fix it . I also have sleep apnea . About 6 years ago I had all the surgeries to repair that . I had the deviated septum, enlarged turbinates and still had my enlarged tonsils . I have had very good results from the repair and would recommend it to someone if they have a good surgeon . My life is so much better .

   Our bodies sometimes come to us being defective and luckily they can be repaired nowadays to perform as they were intended . If you find a good surgeon, it is worth it to investigate . Instead of giving your brother all the negatives about the operation. You should also give hin the positives about it .You can repair a birth defect like stenosis with surgery and streghten stabilize the disc with a fusion . Everything else is just a bandage . If you look at the mri of the spine where the stenosis is you can clearly see the defect and that it is literally squeezing your spinal nerve . The difference is night and day and if you put it off you will have permanet damage . So I would never tell someone else to skip surgery and do all the homeopathtic courses  that may mask a problem but leave the problem the same to get worse over time . Some people are afraid of surgery and will do anyting to get out of it . Of course if your in a bad community where good surgons are few and in between I guess you stuck  between a rock and a hard place .

   My very best advice is get a good mri and a good surgon and look at the problem . If you have a good surgen you can probably fix it . If you don't your going to have a lot worst life that will only degrade . Yes I was a little nervous but now that it is over I feel better and look forward to growing old and not being crippled and maybe still be able to do the things I love .If you're nervous about treatment they can give you valium or something And after when you start feeling better , you won't need them . I have been 1 week out of surgery and my feet already feel better  . If you don't repair your sine , it will only get worse, not better .No pills, acupuncture or special fruits or massage  are going to change the fact that everything is being compressed . Decompression surgery is the only way to achieve this . So the sooner you address this problem the  sooner you can prevent the damage from getting worse . Your nerves will then have enough oxygen to function like they are supose to .With out surgery you are suffocating everything there and it will continue to get worse .

  I am sorry they don't allow medical marajua there . I go to this one in Oakland ,ca. Here is a link just so you get an idea of what these places look like .

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Bit pointless really arguing over whether surgery is best option,  when each individual case is liklel to be different,  and thus requires different assesdsment.  However,  due to my own experiences (Cervical Spondylosis) I'd have to say that I'm inclined towards a cautious approach to any suggested surgery...which has been offered to me.  With the referred and radiated symptoms which come with these nerve compromised conditions, I've found that the symptoms can alter/change dramatically,  mostly dependent on sleeping postures adopted. That suggests to me that there is some attempted self healing ongoing...unfortunately,  I'd even say that most symptoms seem to result from these self healing activities, rather than as a direct result of ongoing degeneration.  So,  I personally,  would always favour allowing that process to proceed without surgical intervention, if bearable.  Regarding the bladder issue, I think it's highly likely they can identify the actual cauise,  and so surgery goes higher up the hierarchy of possible remedies....but that alone doesn't necessarily adjust the risk factors in any way.  It should be relatively easy to Google for proven research and statistical analysis on the surgery being offered.  Only with the facts can the real risks be assessed before deciding....I wouldn't necessarily rely on the word of the professionals who are offering the procedure...they inevitably spin things in their own favour.

I just had my l4-5 fused . I had stenosis also but they fused put in a plastic disc and used one of the lones in the fusion aalso . They took some bone marrow  stem cells and put on them . This was on nov. 5 and the pain is starting to go away and so is the inflamation . I am on all the drugs you mention for pain and to relax muscles . I wanted to stablize the joint so it woun't afect the nerve root . It may be to early to tell but I think it is working . The one ache I have had in my legs is gone and I have high hopes for the surgery . And some of the numbness from my feet is going away . I think in this day and age they have gone a long way in medicine . I am also lucky I live in the us near san francisco and I believe my surgon went to standford med school so I think he may be doing the latest procedures . I guess so far so good is my thought at this time . I was at the point where I knew I can't take oxy forever or vicatin or any othe these other drugs although we are fortunate enough to have the available . My thought is to find the best surgon you can . My mri cleary shown the surgery was the right choice for me . The bulged disce were pressing right where the stenosis were .