What does, "He's seeing all the right docs" mean?
He needs a thorough evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon. There is a point where all the exercise in the world isn't going to put a bad spine back together. A good one will get X-rays and MRI tests and test you for strength and control of your extremities. I went for two years doing PT and stretches, and it just got worse. I finally went to an orthopedic surgeon, who confirmed surgery is the only thing that would put my spine back together. It wasn't fun, and it didn't get me back to acting like a 70-year-old again, but 19 months out I am better. Looking back at the comments in my diary, it was worth it.

He's got a whole "team" behind him Patrick ... it's been a process, and he isn't "winging it" ... far from it. Many things suggested here... he has already tried or is doing.

Acupuncture wasn't one.

Thank you all again!

He's had several MRIs, etc.

He visited the acupuncture Doc that Byron used... and again last Sat. No benefit, other than his attitude and I don't hear pain, so we LOL'd... a lot.

Methinks he's had both already ... but now his "neuro-surgeon" has him scheduled for another MRI tomorrow and a CAT scan on Wed. and he's optimistic that he will know something soon.

Thank you all... again :)!

Any suggestions for fiesty red-heads who are/have ... err. nevermind...

I don't either :(

Sorry Dr Luo wasn’t able to help him, but it generally takes more than one visit.
As to a fiesty red-head, I may know one or two.

He visited Dr. Luo twice and it just didn't have any effect... he's glad to have tried tho. He's had another CAT and MRI .... waiting to hear something soon .. mebbe today.

Thanks all!

Surgery helped me tremendously, but some of the nerve damage looks to be permanent. My brain doesn't get the same pain signals from my back and legs anymore. That's good. But the connection between my brain and legs/feet isn't right yet, and it's been almost 3 years since the surgery. My feet seem to be about half a second behind my brain. I especially notice it when I simultaneously turn and take a step from a standing position. My upper body turns and does its automatic balancing thing, while my feet haven't gotten the message and haven't started moving yet. So I stumble.

Also the aftermath of surgery can be brutal. I wrote about it here once I was able. Go down to post 47 to read the story.

https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1151582-greetings-kettering-hospitals-coffee-bar-day-spa-3.html

This helped me but you have to do it every day.

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This made a real difference in my life. I don't think I'd be able to ride a bike without it.

Have you ever noticed how some people look crooked when they move around?
They lean to the left or right without knowing it. A doctor can spot it a mile away.
Especially women when they get past 40 years old!

What have you got to lose?

I seem to recall vash posting about the deep squat and his mother in law, and how she’s still very mobile even at an older age?

It’s not a popular concept but the best thing I did for my sciatica was losing weight. I dropped about 40 lbs in the 2019-ish timeframe and my back pain and leg numbness nearly vanished. Some of it has crept back and I can definitely feel it, I’m back on another mission to lose about 10 lbs this fall. My back is all messed up, in addition to sciatica I have a herniated disc and a fractured vertebrae. All the doctors wanted to do was medicate me, send me to rehab (which I tried), or talk surgery. No thanks!

It's hard to undue decades of damage with exercises. They work for some people, and it would be the first thing I would try. In fact, my doctor sent me to a sports physical therapy practice, and they came up with specific movements to help my particular problems. It didn't work. My spine was shot to hell. I may as well have drunk a can of Engine Overhaul in a Can.

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