Sciatica injections: cost in India, what they do and when physiotherapy is enough

The most common injection for sciatica is an epidural steroid injection. A steroid, often mixed with a local anaesthetic, is injected close to the irritated nerve root in the lower back, usually under X-ray guidance. The aim is to reduce inflammation around the nerve and so reduce leg pain.

It is done as a day procedure by a pain specialist, anaesthetist, orthopaedic or spine surgeon, and usually takes less than an hour including preparation.

Prices vary widely by city, hospital and type of injection. As a rough guide, an epidural steroid injection at a private hospital commonly costs somewhere between ₹10,000 and ₹40,000, including the procedure, X-ray guidance and day-care charges. Corporate hospitals in metros are at the upper end. Some people need a second injection.

Ask for an all-inclusive quote in writing before booking, and check whether consultation, imaging such as an MRI, and follow-up visits are extra. Check with your insurer too: injections done as a day-care procedure are sometimes covered when outpatient physiotherapy is not.

Research shows epidural steroid injections give a small to moderate reduction in leg pain for some people, mostly over the first few weeks. On average, the benefit in studies fades by around three months, and injections do not clearly change the long-term outcome or the chance of needing surgery.

Injections carry small risks, including a headache after the procedure, temporary numbness, infection and, rarely, more serious complications. Steroids can also raise blood sugar for a few days, which matters for people with diabetes.

Sciatica often looks frightening on an MRI and feels terrible, but many people improve substantially within weeks to a few months without an injection or surgery. Staying active, pain relief prescribed by your doctor, and a guided exercise programme are the usual first steps.

A physiotherapist can find positions and movements that ease the leg pain, give you exercises to calm the nerve and build strength, and help you return to normal activities. Treatment at Nuprana is a package: the 14-session Spine & Joint package costs ₹6,800 online, anywhere in India.

An injection can be a reasonable choice when leg pain is so severe that you cannot sleep, walk or do any exercise, despite a few weeks of other treatment. Used this way, it can bring pain down enough for you to start a rehabilitation programme. It works best as a bridge to exercise, not as a substitute for it.

Some situations need a doctor urgently instead of either option: numbness in the saddle area, new bladder or bowel problems, or weakness in the leg that is getting worse. These can mean serious pressure on the nerves.