Sorry @apportee for your pain. My experience is that doctors most often start with the least aggressive treatment, i.e. steroid injection before moving to a more aggressive treatment. If it does not endanger your health, get the steroid injection, see if it helps, and if it doesnt help, let her know right away. If it does endanger your health as a diabetic, tell her so and ask for a different treatment. I cannot take NSAIDS for inflammation but I cant tell you how many times I had to remind my doctor of that. Good luck to you.

Yes, good ol' spinal stenosis. The cortisone injections in the neck are probably not worth the wait in the doc's office. I have had several, and they worked for a few hours.

Thank-you so much for your replay. I can't take NSAIDS either. The problem is I also have Bursitis in my left hip, I can hardly walk, but I have to wait for a appointment from my orthopedic doctor to refer me to the pain clinic that administer the steroid injection. See I have had bilateral total hip replacements, so I can' have them both injections at the same time. One will have to wait. On a pain scale of 1-10, and 10 being the worst, they both are a 10. My left arm and my left hip. So I really don't know which one to have first. However, I have to do something. The pain is unbearable at times.