@ireth
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this and for the thoughtful resources. I really appreciate it. After further digging into DCM more deeply, I agree with you—especially since my imaging clearly notes moderate to severe canal compromise, and my symptoms continue to progress.

What’s been most discouraging is feeling like, despite what the imaging shows and how much my function has declined, the approach has been to manage me conservatively until things become dramatically worse—almost as if I need to reach the point of not being able to function at all before surgery will be considered. In the meantime, it appears the hope is that a few injections or ablation might “hold me over,” even though this is clearly a structural and mechanical issue, not just inflammatory. My aunt suffered a severe spine injury in a car accident, had major spine surgery and in the recent years has been doing ablation and injections yet now suffers from debilitating muscle atrophy.

Your insight about both orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons being appropriate is also reassuring, and it helps validate that continuing to advocate for a surgical opinion is the right move.

Thank you again for the encouragement and for pointing me toward such helpful information. I truly hope your recent surgery brings you relief and that your recovery continues to go smoothly. Wishing you the very best