If you get a dramatic, positive result from the injections, the decision to move forward with a rhizotomy will be pretty easy. I would try to get the most targeted decision possible. If you do a panel of 8, 10, 12 injections, you will not know which facets to nuke. I don't like the idea of doing large numbers of rhizotomies because I don't believe that tissue should be destroyed without good cause. Hoping to 'get it all' with one giant over application may seem like a good theory... but I don't believe that there is anything so benign that more is better. With spine, less is better.
Also, with large numbers of injections, IMHO false positives are possible because of the large volume of steroid and anesthetic will make you feel better even if the injection is in the wrong place. I think they could inject my hip and my back would feel better.
Be skeptical... especially about info you get on the internet! I'm not a doctor and may be completely wrong. (Your doctor may be completely wrong too, but he has more credibility than I do.)
Good luck... please keep us posted.
All the best,
Mark
PS... what kind of diving??? Sky, SCUBA, springboard, (dirty jokes skipped here.)
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