@chas93 No doctor I, but I was getting to the point of not being able to grasp things, or lift heavy, slippery stuff, or other stuff. Long story short - went to a physical therapist and am getting the help I need. You will need an order from your doctor for insurance to cover, and your doctor will also know if this is a safe activity for you. Well worth a try, please?

@chase93 You should call Mayo. They do have some parameters for accepting charity cases and you can discuss that with them. I had surgery at Mayo in Rochester which was a 5 hour drive for me because all 5 of the local surgeons I saw would not help me. It sounds like you have a complex case. A lot of surgeons pick and choose cases based on how successful they think their surgery will be because they don't want negative reviews, and the insurance companies also rate the success of surgeons and they don't want their scores to drop, and they won't help. And then there is Medicade which limits you in what anyone will do for you and they don't want to spend money, so they give minimal care. Physical therapy can strengthen muscles and help realign the spine, but it won't fix stenosis. You are right that you need to advocate for yourself. I had unusual symptoms from cervical canal stenosis and none of the 5 surgeons I saw understood it. The fix was a straight forward surgery that they all do, but they could not connect my symptoms with my imaging. I also have thoracic outlet syndrome causing nerve compression in my shoulder adding to the issues. Stenosis isn't going to get better without surgery, and it might be getting worse. In MRIs that I had 9 months apart, I saw the amount of bone spurs double that were pressing on my spinal cord. As for getting to Mayo, many patients fly to Rochester, and most hotels have shuttle service to the Mayo Clinic buildings and hospitals. There is also Amtrack service to Rochester. What I can tell you is it is absolutely worth it to make the effort to travel to Mayo for care. I've never received care before where all the specialists consulted each other about my case and all the tests and appointments were done in 3 days, and they got it right. I had spent 3 years prior to this waiting weeks and months for testing, then waiting a month or more again to follow up only to be denied by 5 surgeons and it just wastes time. Surgery for spinal cord compression is best done early before permanent damage happens. You can also have stenosis at the nerve roots where nerves exit the spine. I have had great results form my surgery 2 years ago, and the muscle I lost is now coming back. It is a slow recovery and as a patient you need to do everything you can to increase your chances of success and improve your health before any surgery. Your first step should be to call them and find out if you can be seen there. That doesn't obligate you in any way, but may open the door to new hope for you. Next they would arrange to have you send in imaging for review and they would not charge to look at it. When you do become a patient, costs apply, but maybe they will help you. Be the best patient you can be and stop any unhealthy habits now so you can demonstrate that you are serious about wanting to recover. That is how you empower yourself with your choices and educating yourself about your condition. I can help you with connections and answer any questions about my surgery. I would advise against a chiropractor as it could cause harm if they move your vertebrae that might be in contact with your spinal cord. With stenosis in the central canal, there is no fluid space for the spinal cord to move freely, and it becomes tethered in place. That also affects it when you just move your neck, and I was able to create an electric bolt shock down my entire body just by bending my neck, and I was at risk for paralysis from a fall or accident. I hope that you can get help somewhere if not at Mayo, but give them a call.