Although my own back is relatively OK, barring a fractured coccynx and a fractured sacrum (twice) recently, it's actually my husband who has the major back problems in our house.

Every disc he has in his lumbar spine is protruding, and some of them are actually dangerously squashed (on his last CT & MRI).

He's in so much agony that he screams out in his sleep every night!

Our GP said just last week that he was in danger of becoming paralized if he didn't have an operation soon. I have to assume she meant spinal fusion although she didn't say, but that scares me!

My husband has been actively refusing surgery for several years now because he's scared of what may happen........we've heard of far too many failure stories with spinal surgery.

He did see a neurosurgeon a while back and that Dr wasn't happen to operate on him, because of the extent of DH's spinal damage....now I think my worries are starting to compound.

We've moved to a brand new state so know non of the surgeons.

His pain is sometimes unbearable......how does one decide?