ablation vs fusion

My understanding about nerve ablation is that #1 it is helpful, and #2 nerves can regenerate if you are concerned about “killing” a nerve. I have been in your situation ( at least a similar one). A fusion is no longer a possibility for me so an ablation has been discussed. The thing with a fusion is the recovery time is longer but probably more effective in the long run. You may still have nerve pain. Good luck to you.

@squidleyhog62 I had foot drop at one time right after having been in a car accident and getting a whiplash. I also had a bulging disc in my lumbar spine, but it has been asymptomatic and has not needed any procedures. With your recent lumbar injury, and stenosis, that can be the cause of your foot drop. I had stenosis in my neck causing spinal cord compression, and the only resolution for that was surgery, and I had a fusion done in my neck. That was 3 months of careful healing until the fusion process began and was solid enough to start rehab with my physical therapist. One of the issues with a herniated disc is that it causes inflammation, and in response to the inflammation, the spine can start growing bone spurs in an attempt to stabilize the spine. In my case, bone spurs were pressing on my spinal cord. Bone spurs can also form in the foramen which are the spaces between the vertebrae where the nerve roots exit from the spinal cord. That is the kind of information that you need, and to know how the injury will progress if nothing is done. The problem of foot drop is weakness, and loss of balance which is important as you age so you can prevent falling that is common in the elderly. The choices you are making now will influence your future health and mobility.
Here is a link to some information.
https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/leg-pain/what-foot-drop

Are you considering spine surgery?

I am very blessed because I work in the medical field; medical lab tech, and have a good general knowledge of anatomy and such. I've had a nerve conduction done in the past year and a half and it showed a direct correlation to the L4 and 5 disc issues. On the 26th; this past Tuesday, I had a nerve block procedure, and I experienced very little change in my level of pain/discomfort. I'll have another in two weeks. If I get relief, then it will probably be ablasion. If not? My guess is fusion.

Insurance handles things much differently than in 2005 when I had my discectomy. Since 2019 when my back issues flared back up, I've had three rounds of epidural steroid injections and recently a nerve block to see if ablasion will help. I'm tired of getting "Band-Aid" medical care. I feel like I need fusion and I wish I didn't have to go through all this mess.

I'll be 60 this year and at this rate I'm going to be retired before anything is done.

I believe the damage was done to my back while I the Navy; mostly in 1996, while on a drug operation cruise in the Caribbean. I was a marine diesel mechanic before going to college to become a hospital lab technician.

@squidleyhog62 Thank you for your service. I would think that having procedures that didn't work like injections or failed physical therapy would be qualifiers for you if surgery is indicated. Can you get another opinion somewhere else? I worry about loosing the level of care after retiring and aging out into Medicare. It might be worth asking for a new evaluation and new imaging while you can.