Can degenerative disc disease be helped by fusion really?

Im sorry I missed that you had already tried a SCS. Im in the exact situation you are with osteoporosis and that nothing else worked for me. Im sorry I didn't mean to scare you with the Intracept details but I am very confident that The Intracept Procedure is the next step for me. Reason is that while it is a little more aggressive than an RFA, is works better because of how its is done. That is also why Boston Scientific trains and certify these doctors on how to use their equipment . They get hands on experience from the doctors who are training them. They dont get their certification unless they pass the hands on part. Its not a classroom type of training. I actually know one of their trainers. He is at UCSF- Univ of CA San Francisco . If you would like to speak to him I'll get you his contact info.

If I had a spine surgery tomorrow, my neurosurgeon ( who only does difficult , deformed or severe scoliosis patients which I am now) he would have to fuse several vertebraes AND run a rod down my spine. He was the one who suggested that I do the Intracept procedure first because that should give me enough pain relief to avoid having the multi-level fussions and rod. If I still had an area where the Intracept didn't help me THEN he would do a fusion at that One site VS T12- L5.

Don't ever be discouraged or take it personally if a surgeon refuses to do a surgery . They are telling you that your case is out of their league. I would respect them for saying that because they are being honest.

Yes I would like to talk to the guy about the intracept procedure. I haven't heard anyone in the New York area ever mentioned that but most of those surgeons obviously just want to do surgery. I'm having a little problem also with my family and I probably shouldn't be asking them or telling them as much as I do. I guess they're concerned about my pain and also a little impatient that I'm not just going ahead with fusion. They asked me well what's the success rate for fusion and I have to explain to them that it's not that simple question but they only have limited capacity to listen to me. I also worry myself that I might have permanent nerve damage since I've had stenosis for 7 years. The laminotomy did help like I said but it came back after four and a half months, that is the throbbing twitching pain. So please send that number for that intercept doctor. Thanks so much

@kitkatrn
Please send the guys info. You might have to private message me to do

@annie1 I had an ablation and it didn't help either. My PA said ablations don't help leg pain. Which is most of my pain. And debilatating numbness.

I actually need the same answer. I have a narrowing in my spinal canal, and I am at the point where the weakness in my arm is causing me to drop things; that is, if I don't use my stronger arm to compensate. I have tried injections (to no avail) more than once, and the spinal cord stimulator just doesn't appeal to me. There are no meds that can help with the pain. I got 2 opinions from 2 different surgeons, the latest one says fusion is the only thing that makes sense at this point. Any suggestions are welcome.

@mcnairh
What is your diagnosis ? And do you have osteoporosis ? Fusion can have complications if you have osteoporosis, but they have ways to work around it.

@annie1 I have spinal stenosis by my herniated L2L3. And severe stenosis at L4-L5