@steveinmontana - This is really frustrating and has always been hard for me to understand. The sciatic nerve runs through the spinal canal, all the way down into our feet. If the nerves in the spine are being compressed, and they're producing low back pain, sciatic pain, calf and foot pain, why on earth don't doctors see the connection with neuropathy! When I had my first MRI in 2021, it showed a "slight disc bulge at L4-L5" that was pressing on a nerve, but because I had "no back pain" at that time, the concensus was that it wasn't causing my neuropathy. Instead, I was told I had "textbook idiopathic peripheral neuropathy" - to me, that just meant no one was willing to get to the bottom of it because they could simply prescribe drugs like Gabapentin and Lyrica. Now, after the recent MRI that shows ALL the nerves in the spinal canal are compressed, to the extent it's now the cauda equina compression, the current spine doctor is saying, "Hmmm ... I wonder is this is all related? You need to see a neurosurgeon right away." SMH!! Well DUH! It's what makes me soooo doubtful of what we're told, and are we just being duped into going along with the system that puts money in their pockets and very little relief for us. Sorry to rant - I wish you well on your journey. I can't stand more than 5-10 minutes at present. Can't take any pain meds either until I get the shot - no anti inflammatories 5 days prior. Ugh - not that they were doing much good anyway. < sigh>