Diagnosed with severe spondylosis & stenosis: Treatment options?

You've come to the right place. I hope you get a lot of helpful responses.

@rodturner
I have congenital spinal stenosis/degenerative disc disease/neurogenic claudication. My cervical and lumbar spine now have metal in the after discectomy and fusion to decompress my spinal cord and nerve roots at C5-C6 and L3-L5.

Is your stenosis in your cervical spine (since you mention impact on eyes/dizziness/balance and vertigo)? Have you had MRIs of your head/spine by a neurologist/orthopedic spine specialist? Have you seen an ear/nose/throat specialist for vertigo or eye doctor yet?

I have degenerative disc disease stenosis, and all the other stuff that goes with it and honestly, I don’t know how heavy lifting and your work would bring that on. I suggest you visit more doctors and get some additional support. The best thing for my spinal stenosis was RFA/RFI Radio frequency ablation. Surgery in my lower lumbar finally had to happen after 20 years but it’s amazing and I’ve gotten my life back. The best advice I can offer is to make sure you have seen the best orthopedic surgeon you can find. I saw four of them before I found my prints. If you are still with the VA, I suggest you ask to be referred out. I live in a military town with a lot of military people that have bad backs and the VA kind of sucks. All of my friends were veterans and have bad backs end up getting referred over to a research hospital for better treatment. Good luck.

rodturner,
similarly I have spondylosis and stenosis though not from any years of Infantry or heavy physical training. Cervical spondylosis can have many meanings or sources. It can involve painful bone spurs osteocytes and/ or disc degradation. Mine are osteocytes and some central canal stenosis from a disc bulge.
Someday I'll have surgical removal of the spurs and likely minimally invasive disc reduction.
I'm staving it off by chiropractic care. Occipital pain, vertigo and subsequent nausea are all at bay for a period of time after adjustments. If I wait after initial symptoms, I get pain in my shoulder and arm.
Chiropractics isn't for everyone, as I hope you will soon hear. The word usually excites some response.
I do recommend that you look at surgical options, even while not considering them. Some things are best treated early on.
Welcome, Rod.

I have an abnormal MRI. It shows impingement of L5 nerve roots, disc bulging, foraminal narrowing pronounced at L4,5 S1. and many more issues. My pain specialist didn't return calls or emails for two days. Heck, my rheumatologist called after hours to tell me to get to the dr asap. I finally got an appt for Thursday but they are already telling me nothing probably can be done. I had a bilateral fusion surgery in 2022. I also have degenerative disc disease with arthritis. Does anyone have these problems and have heard of solutions? I just cried after hearing all this. I can stand or walk for more than a few minutes without pain. I can't imagine living the rest of my life like this. I'm so depressed with this diagnosis. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The people on this site are the greatest!

Please does anyone have any suggestions??

Hi - a second opinion can never heard - either a doctor of pain management specialist of a physical therapist. I am sorry you are going through this and hope you can find someone to help!!

I see my pain specialist today. I hope they can give me some answers. If not, I do think I will get a second opinion. Thanks for replying,

besmith57, I hope you have luck with the pain specialist.
There are so many procedures that can address the pressure on your nerves that causes your pain.
It may be the disc bulge squeezing nerves in the foramen.
They may start with injection to reduce swelling impinging on the nerve. It helps locate the exact source of pain and can provide relief.
The goal is to increase the space so the nerves can exit freely.
They can reduce swelling, remove the extruding part of the disc, reduce ligament size, remove a tiny part of the foramenal bone. Sometimes they ablate the medial branch nerve that sends pain signals.
After you see your pain specialist post their suggestions. And we will weigh in.
If you create a new post, you'll get more responses.

Finally, I can sign in and post! Thank you all for your replies. Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I could not log in. Got it now. I appreciate your comments. I have since returned from a pain specialist and am now on a topical anesthetic cream and physical therapy. If this doesn't work he will try the injections, which I dread because I have to be put under to get them. Hopefully, I won't have to go there!