@elaineinmontana60: I'm glad you found it interesting! If you've had a few abdominal surgeries, you're correct that loss of core strength may be contributing to your discomfort. Have you ever tried physical therapy? That often assists with issues of core strength, and is one of the modalities that may be recommended for Bertolotti syndrome, if that is confirmed. Although I used the word congenital, meaning present at birth, there is the possibility this condition may indeed be genetic - an inherited connection passed down in families. If you'd like to explore this possibility, you can check with other relatives to see if any have had or heard of this among family members.

Age can certainly be a factor that contributes to pain due to break down in bones muscles, joints and/or nerves, although it is not necessarily a given for everyone; it may also be linked to underlying medical conditions so there is no need to give up and accept this as an inevitable decline. I can appreciate the desire to avoid opioids. Would you be open to a conversation with your provider about other treatment modalities to address your core strength and pain? These could include not just physical therapy (PT) but massage therapy, acupuncture, even mindfulness stress techniques like meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy.