Let me reinforce two truths that Becca just posted. First, good Ortho/Neuro folks don't want to go the surgical option until it is the last option. However, there are situations like mine where it IS the last option as I'd been through all the medical/therapy/exercise things that you could do.....and they had all quit working.

Keep in mind that upon occasion there is no surgical option either and you'er stuck with learning to live with the pain. While its true you need second opinions and you don't want to leap to surgery, if that is what fixes things its stupid as hell to rule it out.

I didn't want the surgery at first either but after years of slowly getting worse, my last attack never went away at all I was ready to kill to get it done.

Spaw