This blog is called ‘My Sciatica’ because, although it’s probably caused by a herniated (‘slipped’) disk, it’s the sciatica which is debilitatingly painful: it goes on and on, for days, weeks, months of being unable to sleep, walk, live properly. Back pain can be a bugger, but sciatica’s awful.

I’ve suffered from back pain for 15 years. In August 2011 it started getting worse and, by October, I realised I had a problem: I was experiencing severe shooting pains down my right leg and, after a while, I couldn’t drive, sit or even walk. I was disgnosed with a herniated intervertebral disk.

Then I discovered that a childhood friend, living in a different part of the UK, had been diagnosed with the same condition at the same time. It seems that many people we know have experienced it. We and wanted to write down our own observations, thoughts, hopes, feelings and research of a herniated disk and sciatica treatment in the UK in 2011 / 2012.

So this is our experience. Why? because neither of us found another site quite like this; if it helps one more person to either find useful information or avoid the condition altogether, it was worth it.

I’ve tried to be obective, methodical and analytical. However, we both experienced slightly different symptoms (some of which may even have nothing to do with the underlying conditions) and both used different treatments.

We’re not medical professionals or scientists, so please forgive us mistakes or subjective opinions.. after all, being in pain for months isn’t condusive to remaining wholly sane!