There is radiofrequency ablatias. heat worked for me not pulse version. Sometimes you have to go twice for the same spot. It got me through 15 years and then it was time for surgery but they did nothing. I went through everything known to man. MY ADVICE is go to at LEAST 2-4 orthopedic spine surgeons. May sound crazy but they EACH had a different answer! Get MRI's every year to watch the deterioration. When you find your prince charming surgeon, you will happily glide right into fusion surgery. its all a process. I went to some pain management along the way for fluid cysts that grew on my spine. So there was a lot of non-invasive treatments I got along the way. I was THRILLED with my surgery when I met my prince! The minimal treatments are a waste of time because you will still be compromised and will eventually need the full monty. The only way you will know is by looking around. Its like getting married. Your surgeon will be your mate for life. 😉 (one surgeon told me I just had a sprain in my lumbar!) One surgeon was a neurologist and he would have never done surgery. One guy was about to do my entire back and HE got mad at me. It was a horrible divorce! but years later I found out he was sued for negligence. When I found the love of my life surgeon - he told me that he did all of that other surgeon's revisions. Been 8 years and I am very very happy. I wasn't happy I had to suffer 20 years to get to him. My surgery was at 61. I went back to work!