1. I'm a bit defensive, so excuse what may be my defensiveness. I'm feeling that some of the above is addressed to certain comments I've made recently. To the extent they are not, ignore the below.
2. You are correct, that a comment that "too many resort to drugs before trying other alternatives" is judgmental. However, it is not addressed to anyONE particular person or group on this forum. Thus it is NOT accusatory to any ONE person or group here. As I have explained (and again this is my defensiveness) there ARE people, whether you want to accept it or not, who ARE prone to resorting to what may appear the quick fix, e.g. drugs and surgery. I'm not saying drugs and/or surgery do not have their place. Clearly they do in SOME instances. They may be the ONLY alternative, the ONLY remedy. To that extent they have my full support. What I said or meant is that each person suffering from whatever ailment really needs to assess HONESTLY their own situation to see if they truly need this alternativ before resorting to it. Sure no one wants pain, but the reality is that on an unconscious or subconscious or even sometimes on a conscious level there ARE people who derive a certain pleasure, if you will, in the attention given. It is sick, I know, but it DOES exist and any doctor who says that this is not true, should have his/her license taken away. Of all the doctors I have ever encountered there isn't one who has denied a portion of his/her patient population that was too quick to demand drugs and/or surgery.
3. If after an honest assessment you feel you have no other alternative than drugs and/or surgery...more power to you. I empathize and sympathize. I'm truly saddened that PT and other modalities did not work and support anyone who has truly tried these and cannot get any relief without drugs and/or surgery.

end rant.