Get the other referral and go back to your primary care physician to do it. This is extremely important, and something I failed to do the first time around. I paid a terrible price for that error.
I also would tell you NOT to go to any chiropractor, even if you believe in them. Sometimes they can make a situation worse. You must have a neurologist clear you for that type of spine work. Again this is important Mike. These disks once they become squished, should be dealt with by professional neurologist or orthopedic surgeon/ doctors only. Get clearance from them before you go back to a chiropractor.
About the injections. I am not all that thrilled with them. For some people they give some temporary relief. Ask your doctor if an injection above as you mentioned if it would give some relief.
Usually if one does not work, the whole series doesn't. The risk is there to some degree with them, so I shied away from them when the first two on me didn't work. That was it for good.
What did work for me was Ketamine infusions. My spine was really bad however as I reversed the curve of the cervical area. These infusions worked for about 4 months each with next to complete relief. Again it is a needle but it didn't hurt a bit. They use fluoroscopy as well. Start to research the various things that are available to you, and get to see that other physician. There are folks on this site who can help you with your MRI and the terminology on it. Learn all you can and act cautiously in your choices. I hope some resolution can be found. ginnie