Can chiropractic treatment help with degenerative lumbar disc disease?

also bulging lumbar discs, mild scoliosis, mild stenosis. neurosergeon opinion was no surgury unless a wheelchair was imminent

Although chiropractic treatment won't stop the degenerative process, it can help with pain control. Most of the studies that I have read on spinal manipulation indicate that the patients in the SMT groups, even with equivical outcomes regarding pain levels, had faster and longer lasting improvements vs other conservative treatments (just exercise, non-manipulative modalities, analgesics and NSAIDS). As far as chiropractic treatments being no better than PT, well, this would be a matter of personal preference since we are both musculoskelatal specialists, just with slightly different focuses. As far as making a herniated disc worse, anything is possible but this is very unlikely. Natural history will dehydrate the disc over time, but a treatment plan including manipulation will probably help with pain control and improve confort levels in the meantime.

That being said, if you choose the chiropractic route, you'll first want to find a doctor in the American Chiropractic Association. But this still isn't a guarantee that they are good. Next, you'll want to make sure they don't try to sign you up for any longterm, expensive plans. Also, if they say you have a subluxation, politely thank them for there time and leave. You'll also want to be sure that they at least can train you in some exercises that will help stabilize your back.

I know this seems overly pessimistic, but like every profession, there are the bad seeds. Think of the auto mechanic that tries to tell you everything needs to be replaced or the brain surgeon who operates on the wrong side. Chiropractic treatments have helped thousands of people and the medical literature is filling up with evidence that smt works, otherwise insurance wouldn't pay for it and in absence of that, patients wouldn't pay for it out of their own pocket. We get results, just ask Harvard, who I hear are starting teaching MD's manipulation in an elective, or PT's who are already doing it.

Nope. Degeneration is caused by age. Nothing is going to reverse aging. My opinion after 25 yrs of medical training and orthopedics is that chiros really do no more than a good physical therapist. They claim to fix "out of place" things, but nothing in the back is capable of being "out of place". Again, my educated and medically trained opinion only.

check out Bikram yoga.

it can help with a lot of spinal problems

its done in a heated studio so it loosens you up and helps circulation
it stretches and strengthens the spine (at your own capability) it will give you back freedom of movement and flexibilty gradually.

you are never to young, old, fat, or thin to try...

Sometimes with bulging discs, chiropractic treatments may make this worse. If you didn't have this, the rest of your conditions could possibly benefit. Walking is your best bet for therapy - it strengthens the muscles along your spine, then as they get stronger, they provide better support for your spine; also, walking increases the circulation to your muscles and by doing this, decreases the pain. Start slowly, walking short distances each day then gradually increase your distance and then increase your pace until you are walking 30 minutes every day. Bulging discs can eventually dehydrate down and stop pushing on your spinal cord and causing the pain but this process takes months. If you are willing to do the walking, hopefully, in the long run you will achieve some relief.

I find it hard to believe that if PA is a medical professional with 25+ years of experience if he thinks 'nothing in the back can go out of place', and obviously hasn't read any research regarding Chiropractic. Thats a bit rediculous.

A chiropractor is not going to make a degenerating disk or vertebrae any worse. Some people will say they experienced them making things worse, but more likely they had a condition that was getting worse over time, ie. Degenerative disk disease.
Chiropractic would be a good option for pain management, but is by no means a cure. If I were you I would give it a go, and if you like it, continue, if you don't like it, stop going. No harm done.