A summary of the perspectives of patients and physicians on the four main topics
| Certainty about the diagnosis | Analgesia | Epidural injections | Surgery | |
| Patients | Some uncertainty remained unless diagnosis was confirmed with an MRI scan | Reluctant towards opiates | Relatively reluctant to receive epidural injections | Ambivalent opinions, some fear surgery |
| Physicians | Certain about diagnosis, no imaging required | In favour of painkilling, opiates if necessary | Critical about the benefit of epidural injections | Ambivalent opinions about the medical value of surgery |