Hi Kathy! Peace and love in Christ to you, sweet sister!

My first and still most effective is the SCS inserted in Feb/Mar of 2016. It still blocks sciatica and Radiculopathy pain still today! If that was all that was wrong, I'd be walking around still, on a Rollator anyways. Balance isn't a pain issue for me. Can't feel my feet enough to balance on my own. At least not more than 5 - 10 steps anyways.

For intense pain; cold, heat and distraction of any kind. I prefer prayer and study, but I must admit there are times I'm only capable of vegging for awhile. Sometimes audio bible, other times something visual, like a favorite movie or TV show. Favorite because I don't need to think about anything new as I watch. Don't want to figure or follow anything by that time.

So outside of meds, those are my best.
Typically I'm not an anxious person. God's blessed me that way, but as a result I find little help in relaxation techniques. Went thru treatment of this sort. They themselves admitted I could gain little from it. 😂 I was too calm to start with🤣. Praise God for that! I realize it would be so much worse if I did get anxious over it all. Bad enough as is. I suppose this is one place I'm comfortable "venting" about it. Not like others can understand without experiencing some part of the same.
None the less, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy...
Well, maybe Satan. Even so, Angel's said "the LORD rebuke you" rather than rail against him. We can all learn from that example.

Well, an answer plus a rant. I hope some parts of it helps Kathy...
🤗✌🏻❤️&🙏🏻4️⃣U
🤠🤓Lou⚾ 👣✝️❤️

I was told by my surgeon's med asst that my insurance wouldn't cover epidural steriod injections so I called my insurance company and they said alls I would have to do. is get my pcp to put in a referral for it

I use a high-heat heating pad, though I've been burned by it, it is still the only things that helps, other than opioids. I have several different pains, also. I get dry-needling for contacted, spastic muscles. I receive steroid with lidocaine injections in my small joints (shoulder, both knees, fingers, wrists, and toes, so far) and they help some for awhile (you can only get then every 3 months). I have found that a 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD lotion or salve works, if you have medical cannabis legal in your state. An OTC thing that gives me a bit of relief is Tiger Balm; I wish it came with lidocaine in it too. If I really want to be able to go out and do things, though, prescription pain medication is the ONLY thing that works for me.
SCSs are pretty suspect, I've heard too many ppl have difficulties/failure of them. I had a pain pump for 7 years, but the doctor was microdosing me, so it was ineffective; they DO work for many ppl though.
DON'T get ESIs, as they will cause your vertebrae to break down and degenerate at a rapid rate - the FDA actually has a black box warning against them! But they generate a lot of income for them so doctors still push them.

wonderful share ty yes very helpful glad you are calm. unable to control much of time, looking for a mindfulness tape that is RElaxing lol I wish to talk more, for now need to rest this shoulder arm..just hearing from you brother is a big boost for me ty God is in His heaven, and yes and we can remember that the Lord did all that at the cross..the other does not need our attention I do like to leave things to God, His work is best ha! amen Kathy😇🥰💜

I used to get epidurals a couple of times a year, it is not allowed where I go now. They gave me two weeks of basically pain free. But it is not fun when they wear off half way home on a long trip in a car.
Pills need to be increased as you get accustomed to them. They upset my stomach.
THC has been my go to.