Understanding sciatica: illness and treatment beliefs in a lumbar radicular pain population. A qualitative interview study
"Clinicians should to consider providing broader explanations for LRP pathology that include inflammatory and neuropathic pain mechanisms (which appeared to be lacking). Clinicians should take care to include these mechanisms when explaining a diagnosis using plastic models of the spine. This may be especially important when a compressive explanation is not conclusively demonstrated by MRI, as it will enable clinicians to validate and legitimise patients’ symptoms. The authors recommend caution when comparing MRIs of symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients, as this may have unintended delegitimising effects. They also agree with previous calls for accurate information-sharing regarding prognosis and prompt access to treatment, including psychological support."
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