Hi ~ Don't expect any surgery to relieve your pain. Chances are you will STILL have pain, and sometimes worse. Surgery ONLY repairs mechanical problems. It is NOT for pain relief. If you do happen to get pain relief, you're just lucky.

The latest studies have shown that people who have had sugeries/fusions get NO better results than people who have had physical therapy!!! Now that's scary when you consider how many surgeries are being done now!!!

I've had 2 open surgeries on my spine --- this was years ago --- and NOW I would NOT have any surgery unless I was in danger of being paralyzed or of having permanent nerve damage.

Also, when you have fusion, the levels above & below the fusion site tend to fail, causing those levels to herniate & leading to more surgery. This is because those levels have to take on more of the load. So fusion begets more surgery.

If you're not seeing a pain management doctor at present, I'd ask for a referral so that you can better manage your pain, rather than risk surgery. Or I'd seek at least 2 more opinions with Neurosurgeons and see what they say about surgery. Best of luck and God bless. Hugs, Lee