I have constant pain, but it never goes above about 5 on a 1 to 10 and is usually about 2.

The problem is my pain is not sharp at all, its dull achy pressure type of pain. Because my discs are not pushing on the main spinal chord no doctor has wanted to talk about sugical options. It seems all I get is "It's not bad enough to operate". Or if we do operate we will have to do a 3 level fusion.

It's crazy, I read about all these endoscopic or minimally invasive proceedures but it seems they are mostly done on Lumbar injury.

Do any of you have constant dull achey pain not sharp pain? My balance is almost entirely gone (which I read is a symptom of main cord compression which the MRI's say I don't have). The bigger problem is I have Osteophytes forming in the Formina at 2 levels now. My MRI's are a year apart and I've much worse.

I have 2 more consults with 2 different Neurosurgeons, one of which is the Fellowship director for spinal candidates. I'm hoping to get better answers. But if they won't operate then what? Man I've read so many stories of people on here suffering and they just can't get much out of their doctors.

Please advise if anything similar has happened to you. Like everyone on here I just want to resolve the problem as best I can and move on. I can tolerate some pain, but not being able to walk is really scary.

And for those of you who have not read any of my past posts - I've done just about every kind of conservative therapy I can find locally including PT, NeuralTheapy, 3 Chiros, Pain Management, etc. I'm wore out.

I have had daily back pain since I was in my twenties. I am now in my sixties. I had literally a 100 bedridden attacks over a period of 16 years before surgery. Doctors wouldn't perform a fusion then because I was too young. At 38 I had a 2 level fusion. I am now 62 with no good levels left and I am disabled. Back pain has been a part of my daily life as an adult. I do not know what it is like not to have back and leg pain. Like you my pain level has been anywhere from a 1 to a 10 (10 being lying in a pool of sweat unable to speak only in gasps and 1 being a dull constant ache)

I now take neurontin daily. Nerve root pain is my daily life and neurontin is the only medication that will touch it. I walk with a cane and can limp around my home. Surgery is not an option. I am a Canadian and I am having a problem even getting a surgeon to look at me. There are a lot of us out there and pain management is all that can help us.

Don't be eager to have any kind of fusion surgery. Make sure that you are monitored on a regular basis. Surgery especially a multi level ones do not have great success rates. You could end up having daily pain at a much higher level. Surgery is not recommended because they cannot see a surgical cure. Actually the worse shape your back is in overall is a reason not to do surgery. Good luck and make sure that you keep your checkups and let your doctor know if there are any significant changes.