Not being doctors, knowing your full history & results, and/or your thoughts on kinds/types of treatments (knowing you as a person), I think it could/would be quite a lengthy process to try to second guess/figure that out.

Treatment modalities for chronic pain and specific conditions/diagnoses aren't big secrets anymore. Most—if not all—can be found via searching, e.g.

treatments for chronic pain (more lay language)
treatment modalities for chronic pain (more scholarly/technical language)

These searches can be modified for most conditions, i.e....

treatments for _____
treatment modalities for _____

If we want to take it further, we can add a "research" criterion to the search to find out about new developments, treatments being tried/used elsewhere, studies & clinical trials, and what may be in/coming down the pipeline.

Doing this kind of research on my own, and bringing the results—my ideas/thoughts—to my doctor has been good. It involves me in my own care/destiny, and demonstrates to my doctor(s) that I am open/willing and proactive in helping myself. That in turn motivates them to help me as well.

I've been there—quite often—and likely will be again. I call it "guinea pig complex/syndrome"—feeling like the doctors haven't got a clue, so are using me as a guinea pig to experiment on with whatever treatments/medications/whims occur to them at the time. Of course that's not reality, but it can feel like that, especially when they don't communicate (well).

Yes, every doctor has a different opinion. Like the infamous carpenter armed with only a hammer so every problem looks like a nail, but a roomfull of doctors—all blind, deaf, and mute (can't/won't communicate with each other—perhaps because they cannot agree on anything) and each armed with a different tool.

I don't think it's us that's crazy.

I think... no, I KNOW we ALL just want this pain to go away. I was told right at the beginning that with the current state of medicine, that wasn't likely. What I need (I was told) is a new spine, and medicine can't give me that... yet (like it'll happen just in time for my funeral—NOT!) There is always hope that tomorrow may/will bring the next medical marvel/miracle, but in all likelihood I may (i.e. WILL) have to live with pain for the rest of my life.

Sometimes I wonder what we chronic/intractable pain patients should be told. From my own experiences, doctors can't agree on that either... ("He never should have told you that!") I'm pretty much resigned to the fact (i.e. accepted) that I'll be in pain for the duration, but some doctors (seem to) take umbrage with that. Go figure...

Is it better to know, and (learn to) adapt, or to keep someone going on a glimmer of (false) hope? Because we're all different, I've come to think the answer needs to be different for each of us as well.

I don't know that my pain will ever just go away, but every time I look around—REALLY look around—take stock, and weigh the pros & cons, it's still better than the alternative.

TGIF, (Not that calendars mean much to retirees, but the conditioning is still there. )

Doc