I know a thing or two about Spinal Stenosis, the result of something we are all going to have , degenerative disc disease.
Get this out of the way, yes I have tried weed. I have several mental health problems, one of them is paranoia. Weed did not do nothing for me except make me extremely paranoid. Yes, I tried various strains. Former neighbor helped set up grow operations in several states so I had access to pretty much every strain there is.
Suggest you find an orthopedic doc that uses epidurals for diagnostic purposes, not just pain relief. This may help figure out exactly where your pain is located. Will also help if you decide to try and minimize your pain without numbing your brain, either thru Opioids or weed.
My L5 is herniated, out the front so it is compressing my spinal cord. Disc can not be repaired, fusion would have done nothing but limit my mobility and make other parts of my spine do what L5-S1 do, and that is give you rotation. I had severe sciatic pain down both legs and just a constant alternating pain in my lower back. I ended up with a spinal cord stimulator from Medtronics.
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain
With in an hour of having the trial stimulator turned on my sciatic pain was gone. I also had a Vertiflex installed at L-3, mine is loose. This helped with the pain in my lower back some.
The Vertiflex™ Procedure† - Overview
I did develop another pain, higher up. T12-L1. Have had imaging done, no disc issues of any sort. Doc that did the sps suggested I go to PT and Massage Therapy, he felt that this pain is nothing more then a muscle pain from how tight and stiff I am. Have been going to PT for a while now, while it is helping I still hurt. Will be going to see a Massage Therapist sometime soon.
One thing that has helped me is stretching. I am far from flexible but I am making progress. I have been walking around with a jacked up back for 4 decades. One thing the human body does is if you have chronic pain your muscles tend to tighten up to try and support what is hurting. So stretch...hamstrings, hip flexors, etc.
Lived on Opioids for 2 decades. Have been off them for close to 3 months. If you can avoid taking them please do so.
Arthritis...a tag along of injuries. If you are really lucky you will end up with Pseudo Gout in your fingers and wrists. I can no longer straighten my fingers all the way out.
Needless to say depression often tags along with this crap. Prior to having the scs put in I had to go for a mental health evaluation. But I have a history of mental health issues and a suicide attempt in my background so. The doc at the pain clinic also stipulated that I go see a counselor that specializes in patients with ongoing pain. Have been seeing a shrink for most of my adult life so not a big deal for me.
Few things that several docs have told me...and I have seen this in a neighbor. If you are told that they want to go in and open the passages in your vertebrae up don't do it...unless the docs can assure you that your discs are completely dehydrated. If they are not you will be having the procedure done over and over. My neighbor made it 6 months from his first surgery before having to have it done again. Proceed with caution.
Finally, you have to accept that life style changes are probably going to be needed. I was told 0 jogging. Try to avoid stairs if possible. DO NOT FALL!!! Do not get like me and carry around an extra hundred pounds of fat.
Good luck.
