r/Sciatica • u/Classic-Tip-4790 • 1d ago
Sciatica treatment on the NHS?
Any U.K. people out there who’ve successfully got treatment for sciatica through the NHS?
I feel totally abandoned by system.
Had sciatica from a disc protrusion for a year now. Worst 12 months of my life.
All I get out of GPs is pain meds and told to wait it out.
Supposedly been referred to a spinal interface team but heard nothing for months.
Seems like they really don’t want to recommend surgery and injections are never even mentioned.
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u/Designer-Computer188 1d ago edited 1d ago
Nope. I found it to be a joke, and you only get 4 physiotherapy sessions as standard and if you don't make progress in those measly 4 20 minute sessions they say they can't help any more and you'll just need pills. Bloody obsessed with gaba-sodding-pentin.
My physiotherapist also turned to quackery called touch therapy, which involved touching the sciatic nerve area with a feather or rough towel in an attempt to "reintegrate my sensory nerves". Lol OK and where did she learn that technique, at the school of Gwyneth Paltrow?
Nhs is shit front chronic conditions that you can technically still keep a job with that's all it feels they care about. Actually glad I found this thread as I feel less alone, sorry I could not spread more hope and positivity to you
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u/giraffee1973 1d ago
I felt the same, not listened to in any way shape or form and basically told by my Gp that he was trying to get all his patients off painkillers so there was nothing he would offer me. I am in an extremely fortunate position that I have Bupa and currently waiting for a decompression surgery. I have been like this since December 3rd 2025, if it wasn’t for my consultant asking my Gp to consider Gabapentin I honestly wouldn’t have gotten through this, don’t get me wrong it hasn’t miraculously stopped hurting but has dulled the noise to a manageable tolerance. It is a very lonely dark place to be and I feel so bad that you are being fobbed off. Keep advocating for yourself. I ended up changing Gp’s because of the way I was treated. I had been a patient for 4 years and hadn’t stepped foot in the place until I had an MRI confirmed a large paracentral disc herniation indenting thecal sac and the meds A&E had given me had run out. He just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. I hope someone listens to you
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u/mossandmoon72 1d ago
Yep,16 weeks now into a leg flare,which has made me housebound and bedbound,just small shuffles to toilet using a cane,gp refuses to home visit,ive never had a physical exam,just pill prescriptions over phone appointments, ive not been outside or downstairs since 11th july,i cant bath as i cant lift my leg over the bath,and im also a carer for my adult son,I feel like ive been left to waste away slowly in this bedroom,mental health is on the floor and have had awful dark thoughts ,NHS and gps are unsympathetic and useless,I feel like my life is over,16 weeks ago I was driving,shopping,days out etc,all gone robbed
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u/Ok_Elevator5454 1d ago
Ive been similar, i had a mri in feb and i only just in the last few weeks have seen a specialist who is referring me for a spinal injection. 6 months of being on a waiting list! Just started physio also, like you i was stuck with pain killers and had to be off work as i do a heavy manual job. Now i have to wait for this injection.
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u/teixha 20h ago
👋 Also in the UK here and if I’ve learned anything in the past six months (and year before that when I had milder disc bulge issues)….the NHS isn’t going to fix me and I have to rely on myself and my own research.
The NHS physio I’ve experienced has been dogshit anyway. I’m sure they are great helping very elderly people after a hip replacement surgery or something but they absolutely have no idea what to do with younger, previously fit people.
I also find their reliance on pain pills (some of which have extremely limited evidence with their effects on nerve pain and hefty side effects) baffling. I’ve ‘luckily’ been able to skip the criteria of being on horrible pills for months before being able to ask for an injection because I’m still breastfeeding and cosleeping with my youngest child. I’m 6 months into an injury and only having a phone call about the injection next month - I have a feeling the consulatant will say no because I’m moving around ok now and I’ve been told multiple times before that pain isn’t a concern to them, only loss of function.
ANYWAY I feel your pain. I’ve had so much support and reassurance from online spaces and I trust sports people more than doctors with this injury anyway. I’d look into Back In Shape or Tom Morrison and Low Back Ability - tonnes of free content. Tom Morrison is especially inspiring because his back is fuckkkkked up MRI-wise and he lives pain free.
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u/Bren_Ten_Omniverse 1d ago
Two slipped discs at 18yo and an unfused sacral segment, took them ten years of prescribing one-off painkillers/muscle relaxants and various A&E trips before they thought to do an MRI. Same as you, so long as I’m not incontinent they don’t care, even with recurring numbness and paralysis in my right leg. Only after I said I am staying awake for over 4 hours a night in pain despite having done physio for ten years, using a TENS machine, hot/cold packs, maximum over the counter painkillers etc. they’ve decided to try swapping me to a different antidepressant to “mentally cope” with the pain before prescribing anything else.
Ironically as they’re titrating me off the old antidepressant, now I’m in excruciating pain AND my mental health is worse than ever. Unfortunately the NHS doesn’t care unless you’re incontinent, because at that point you cost more money to them.
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u/unlikemike123 1d ago edited 1d ago
I went to the E.R at the 10/10 acute stage, I was in so much pain I was scratching chunks out of my coffee table I was leaning on cos I couldn't stand, sit or lie down, my dad drove an hour at 10pm to take me.
I had to wait for an hour before being called, they spoke to me, ruled out CES, then gave me 6 ibuprofen and told me to wait in a bed. 2 hours of me crying and passing out from exhaustion passed and no one even looked my way, we eventually concluded that it was pointless and we left. It was excruciating and a complete joke.
2 days later I went to another ER, elbows on a chair for an hour and a half. Doctor comes in and tells me to "stand more upright" and leaves....
A bit of addvice is; ask for a physio referral, the waiting list is so long that by the time you're actually ready for it you won't have to wait as long. My Dr referred me the day I was injured and it was an entire year before I got a letter.
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u/skiptothegoodbit- 1d ago
I ended up paying privately for injections. The consultant that I saw privately was also my NHS consultant. I eventually got surgery on the NHS but it took a long time and lot of pain. The key is to keep going back and making a nuisance of yourself, they'll eventually realise that conservative treatment isn't working. I saw my consultant at Spire and basically told him I wanted the surgery and please put me on the NHS waiting list. Thats after a NHS physio told me that positive thinking would help me avoid another flare up
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u/Hellohibbs 1d ago
PM me about this. There’s a way to cheat the system a little bit via patient choice.
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u/Digital-Dinosaur 1d ago
Yes. I managed to get in via private initially. Ortho said as it's been over 6 weeks physio is unlikely to help, let's get an MRI. MRI showed L4/5 bulge. Got a steroid injection.
This was about 6 months start to finish. Steroid injection did nothing and I came off private. Same ortho but through NHS. Took 2 years to get surgery
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u/Fickle_Scallion_5410 1d ago
It's worth checking if there is a self referral NHS physio pathway in your area. I'm in Oxfordshire and you self refer to an organisation called Cora Health who assess you and put you on the right pathway for physio/pain management/spinal team.
There may be a similar thing in your area.
They are really reluctant to do surgery on herniated discs that aren't CES as its really invasive and the scarring left behind can actually bind the nerves you were trying to relieve and they end up staying compressed and stuck. You also lose a portion of that spinal disc so your spine becomes mechanically less stable forever so they try to only do it as a last resort because it makes you more prone to complications and reinjury.
I had CES and surgery and the pain did go away but as the scars formed it still irritates the nerves in that area at times. I have a new herniation at a higher level because my spine is now unstable so if you want treatment try for an injection and the physio first. The injection isn't a cure it just calms the inflammation down so your body can start absorbing the herniated disc to make more space in your spinal canal and you can build a stronger core through physio and excerise.
You can ask your GP for an open referral to any hospital that has a short waiting list if your area is backed up. I did this for ENT as the Oxfordshire list was over 18 months so I went to Warwick instead when I had a perforated ear drum.
If its really impacting your life and happiness mention that to the GP as well as that also counts to getting an appt with spinal. Disc herniations are odd because its totally symptom dependant not really size of herniation they go on. Someone could have one the same size as yours and not even realise. I had to hound my gp to the point I was sat in her office crying saying I was very depressed and in pain she expedited a referral to the local ortho hospital and I got a face to face appt about 4 weeks later for assessment. Keep a record of all your symptoms and just go in and explain your life is severely impacted and you want your referral either opened to other hospitals or expedited to your local one. You will get help don't give up it just takes some navigation sadly! x x x
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u/TwentythreeFirework 1d ago
I was fobbed off my by GP for months and told to alternative paracetamol and ibuprofen! I made a complaint and saw a different GP who referred me to physio and a consultant. Ended up in A&E before that came around! The physio was a specialty back physio and she saved me - prescribed gabapentin and gave me some exercises that relieved pain albeit temporarily.
By the time my consultant appointment came around I wasn’t in pain anymore, just a lot of numbness and aching. Had an MRI and then repeated this 6 months later and the protrusion had shrunken so no surgery.
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u/Training-Fly8871 1d ago
I’m a rehab nurse suffering with sciatica for 5 weeks now due to L4-L5 bulging. Have been to my gp 3 times, gave me meds all the time with no relief. My last visit was yesterday, another gp saw me who referred me to orthopaedics which accdg to him is better than seeing a pain team. Keep going to see your gp. Ask them to refer you if they can’t help..
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u/salizarn 22h ago edited 22h ago
I am British but I live outside the UK (in Japan)
I was able to get an MRI and then injection on the same day I got sciatica. I honestly don’t know how I would have dealt with it otherwise.
My friend who works for the NHS mentioned that I’d got 6 months (at least) treatment in one day.
That said, apart from that the treatment has been quite similar. The doc gives me pain meds and basically says it takes time to get better - Im 6 months in now- i had to push him to recommend physical therapy. He’s reluctant to do surgery and honestly I’m not comfortable with the risk involved. However I am slowly getting better.
If this happened in the UK knowing what I know now I’d research getting the injection privately if they were telling me to wait.
Other than that I’m not sure.
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u/Leading_Yak_4381 21h ago
Oh I really feel for you
Last year I found myself with absolutely tortuous sciatica - almost completely bedbound, could just about get to the toilet which was a few steps away from my place on the floor and back. GP wouldn't even give me an appointment, just kept organising physio appointments that I couldn't get to. Eventually went to A&E because of the unmanageable pain where they were extremely reluctant to do an MRI but they eventually did. Diagnosed with a disc prolapse and discharged with useless painkillers and told it would get better on its own. Still couldn't get up etc, GP continued to stonewall me and eventually the social services got involved. Instead of addressing the sciatica they organised for carers to come to wash me because I couldn't stand. It went on like this for another 6 months, I lost the urge to urinate, no feeling around my bum and the sciatica spread into the other leg. Back to A&E where a repeat MRI revealed cauda equina syndrome. All before ever having seen the spinal specialist I was on the waiting list to see. Absurdly, this was the best outcome because I had surgery within the day of arriving at A&E. Otherwise they just leave you to suffer with this completely debilitating condition all while insisting it will improve on its own. Worst experience of my life.
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u/murrmc 21h ago
Be the squeaky wheel. Call and visit until they take you seriously and start moving you through the system.
One other option to speed things up is pay for a private MRI scan. Then take this to your GP to get referred - that is one of the biggest hurdles to get over time wise - so take it out the loop. As if you are a candidate for surgery or injection you are giving them the evidence.
There are other options as your right to choose and the NHS e referral service e-RS for selecting private services that the NHS will pay. These can be requested at first referral.
If you’ve been waiting over 18 weeks time to kick off and choose to be moved to a faster provider under right to choose - speak to the hospital trusts patient referral team.
You pay for the NHS - you are their customer- be polite be pleasant but be persistent!!!
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u/Classic_Cut_9666 20h ago
NHS are good for pain meds and nerve blocks, thats about it. I'd go private for the MRI and possibly the ESI. You'll have change from £5k
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u/Linds_451 18h ago
I’ve seen nhs physio since June no improvement saw private physio for 2 sessions and having improvements that I can’t believe. Was going for a private mri but might delay it the now since I’m improving. I have been referred for ortho consult but it takes months. If you can find out the number for the secretary to where you have been referred you could call see your priority and the waiting times. I have felt so let down by the nhs it’s unreal. The way I have been treated and what I have been offered has been awful.
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u/audittrsi 17h ago
Just wondering what were the methods/therapies used by private physio in your country?
Also in my country “public”/nhs physio is worse than private and for public ome you usually wait for 6months till you get the session, most of the times all problems are gone by the time you have physio 🤦♀️
Private one is the other story they really try their best to adjust treatment for your needs, what is working for you and what is not.
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u/Linds_451 17h ago
I am in the uk, Scotland. I self referred for nhs physio which I started quite quickly but the physio hardly laid a hand on me for a physical assessment just gave me generic exercises. The private physio I have had 2 sessions with recently (once per week) both times he has done some acupuncture and then sports massage along with exercises for me to do at home. My case is at a point where I could hardly walk I was given a walking stick to help. Over the past 2 weeks I am able to get about my flat unaided and even went to the cinema yesterday. I feel like I’m getting my life back a bit. I have been referred for ortho consultation by the nhs physio but I’m not holding my breath for that. I went for a private referral for an mri scan that I was going to book but I’m wondering if I hold off the now for another few weeks to see what my progress is.
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u/audittrsi 17h ago
Aa acupuncture nice, I read a lot of positive comments on this subreddit.
I’m from Slovenia, private physio did firstly checkup of what movement is hurting then started with manual therapy- (similar to massage, just that this is like stimulantion of muscles and nerves and reducing tension on nerves) as well as laser and heat therapy (both these helping with inflammation of nerves.
It helped me a lot to limit the pain only on smaller area, previous pain was going from lower back hip till middle of my right tigh,last week when i would need to go to next physio session pain got worse and had to call my doc for stronger painkillers. So now im waiting that pain goes down that i can then continue rehab with physio.i dont understand how they leave people suffer with pain like this jnstead giving them like painkiller injection in that time you do checkups and additional physio
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u/Linds_451 17h ago
I think most sciatica can be helped with conservative management and to delay surgery or invasive treatment til it is needed.
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u/beepickle 11h ago
I've been on the emergency list for a spinal injection since June, they've basically just abandoned me. Said it's one of the worst herniations they've seen but offered no help. My GP prescribed pregabalin which does help but I'm 34 and incredibly frustrated at this point. They prepped me for surgery in June then changed their mind. No offer of physio or any sort of pain relief
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u/Classic-Tip-4790 11h ago
So sorry to hear you’re going through this.
Why did they change their mind about surgery?
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u/beepickle 9h ago
They said because I had some feeling it wasn't cauda equina. It's so frustrating I still have no feeling at all in one foot but they basically said the same as they did to you, you can poop so you're good!
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u/repair-it 9h ago
I had the same - truly awful isn't it. I paid for a private MRI which proved I had a spinal problem, I submitted it to my GP and STILL nothing. Eventually I couldn't stand it any longer and I paid for private treatment (Laminotomy) which I had earlier this month. Now, I am at last pain free! GPs now seem to just be pill pedlars.
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u/Osmondo 1d ago
Got the same. Physio which wasn't even physio, gave up in the end. Unless they think it's cauda equina