I have been living with chronic low back pain for over ten years now. I have a bulging and herniated disc at the L5/S1 area and now arthritis. I can't sleep for more than a few hours at a time and walk around in a brain fog from exhaustion due to pain. I've been to chiropractors/ a neurosurgeon /and in pain management over the years. The neurosurgeon just wants an MRI dropped off and then says there's nothing he can do. The chiropractors want to twist and crack my back (I couldn't get out of there fast enough) and my pain management doctor is the only reason I don't jump off a bridge some days. I can't believe I've never heard of a spine surgeon like you mentioned here. I hope I can find a doctor like this in Florida where I live. I made the mistake of trying prolotherapy shots which just increased my pain and because of that became very leery of letting anyone go near my back. I turned down steroid injections after talking to so many people that say it was just a temporary help and hearing that long term injections can cause more damage. I guess I will try calling the University of South Florida and check around for such a doctor. All I know is that living in pain is the worse and that people who do not experience it themselves have no clue. It is not in your head wildy and I sympathize with you and pray that maybe something like stem cell therapy will be our answer soon.View Thread