yeeko, usually the after the first few hours of a MBB there is pain relief from numbing effect if it is the facet joint causing the pain, even when the steroid doesn't reduce the swelling enough to be effective.
Sometimes there is a reaction to the steroid that temporarily makes the pain worse.
I suspect the doctor will be wanting to try another MBB. Usually they perform two before deciding if it is helpful.
You might ask the md if they think the pain might be more central canal. You could ask about an epidural.
I include this link to be clear on the different placement for each injection https://greatertxortho.com/medial-branch-blocks-vs-facet-joint-injections/
I think the doctor was suggesting traction for you. It doesn't sound like the chiropractor was using traction. And it is difficult to know if the chiropractor adjusted your low back and your SI joints.
Some chiropractors use various devices that don't make me happy. I prefer the Palmer method of manual adjustment.
Your thigh tightness makes me suspect that the disc bulge is more central canal.
You might try a different chiropractor on your own. You probably don't need a referral. In CA I don't need referrals with original medicare.
I think the treatment your doctor refers to might be the same as what they used to call by the machine name VAX D https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/features/vax-d-treating-back-pain-without-surgery
Theoretically it can stretch apart the vertebra that might be trapping the disc bulge and allow it to reverse position back into the disc area. It the outer layer of the disc is separated and the inner contents are spilled, I don't think traction can help.
Without knowing anything, I hazard the guess that you have central canal stenosis which could be relieved by making more space in the central canal by removing something surgically. Sometimes the remove a portion of the ligament, sometimes a portion of the bone, sometimes the bulging portion of the disc.
They are all minimally invasive ambulatory surgeries.
I'd ask the doctor if the procedure the chiropractor performed is the one he had considered for you.
If an epidural might be more effective. (You may not even want an epidural)
If the plan is for RFA if the injections are effective.
You might ask the pain specialist if he knows a good minimally invasive spine surgeon.
I'd ask the chiropractor if he can perform a thrust adjustment for the sacroiliac joint and the lumbar vertebra.
While I don't think any of the medications are very effective against this pain, the ones I've seen as most effective are the fentanyl patch ( which you probably can't get and might make you loopy anyway), and Percocet, which is also pretty restricted.
I do think there is relief available to you. It's good you are looking for the least invasive options first. It sounds as though you have one level affecting your entire being.
Does your MRI talk about spondylosis or positioning of the vertebra in relation to each other.