Try reflexology from a therapist with knowledge. You will need to look at nutritional therapy to ensure his strength. Herbs can be used for any pain and a cranial osteopath should be consulted with. Having said that reflexology has produced miraculous results having Reiki alongside will speed things up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtQRh__ZLxs
This exercise honestly saved my life. It needs a few modifications however. First modification is use comfy pillows instead of a foam roller. Also, close the gap between the table and stool to 3 inches apart instead of 3 feet apart like it shows in the video. Place your hips so that they fall off the edge of the stool (away from the table while making sure not a single toe touches the floor. Feet must be COMPLETELY DANGLING OFF THE FLOOR. Your whole torso should be supported by the table but because your entire lower body is dangling off the stool the 3 inch gap in between the stool and table allows your lower back to succumb to gravity educing a 15 minute long euphoric spinal decompression. During this technique your hips will get pulled out of your spine, your knees will get pulled out of your thigh bone, your foot will get pulled out of your shins and your toes will get pulled out of your feet. Because this gradual stretch happens over the course of 15 minutes or so it is very gentle and therapeutic. Your thighs may be numb afterwards which is an indication of successful healthy nerve stretching aka neuromuscular stretching.
If the diagnosis is correct, it might make his pain less intense, but it won't stop the nerve from getting pinched. I'd think if the diagnosis is as described, only doing something to move the discs away from the nerve would solve the problem. But these types of diagnoses are hard to make accurately, so I can understand a reluctance to get surgery. What you might do is take him to a clinic, and there are some depending on where you live, where there's both a chiropractor or osteopath and an acupuncturist on hand to help you decide which modality has a chance of working.
This is the HIV Prevention forum. Wrong forum.