We've looked into this as well. I think there is some potential here. Ya know, some say that a well trained chiropractor can do the same thing. If you get any coverage on your insurance for chiropractic treatment...you might consider doing that instead.

Recently, somewhat unexpectedly...my husband has (knock on wood) has some improvement in his back pain. He has done the following:

1. Drinking one glass of white wine each night. They say a small amount of wine has medicinal properties.
2. Walking 20 minutes every morning early in the morning...outside (5 days a week). The movement might oxygenate the cells. A little sunshine is good for the soul.
3. He drinks a little coffee in the morning (always did that), but now drinks a a cup of coffee in the mid afternoon as well.
4. If he has even a little discomcort in the afternoon, he takes a Naproxen.
5. He takes a NeuroOptimizer tablet and B12 tablet before bed. You can get them at the health food store. They help with memory. The B12 helps with many things...might be good for the spine too.
5. He's going to bed about 30 minutes earlier than he use to. He wakes up more refreshed. This helps to ease tension.

Of course, if the pain continues to improve...we will be thrilled. (please keep a positive thought).
Otherwise, we might look into the same things you have mentioned.

DH tried acupuncture. It felt very good the day of the procedure. The therapist used something called "cupping."
Our thought was oxygenating the cells is helpful.
Walking can also do this...perhaps not as powerfully though.

A patch you buy as some drug stores called "salon pas" (sp???) is excellent for pain...I wouldn't overly rely on it though. It is OTC. I've CLEARLY noticed that when my dh does the above routine..he has no need for the patch. And he's been using the Naproxen less and less.

Please consider regular walking and take a look at the other things on the list. It seems counterintuitive...but over time...it has helped my dh. Our thought is that if surgery can be avoided, we would like to do that. If these good measures that seem to be promising (knock on wood), should falter, we will go get that second opinion. I suppose the decompression procedure would be next in line to try (and decompression can be done in conjunction with the things on the list, etc.)

Last would be surgery. Naturally, we are hoping that wont happen. It has been over a week (knock on wood) of pain reduction.