FPM response to NICE Low Back Pain and Sciatica

We welcome the new NICE guidelines on the management of non-specific low back pain and sciatica, and hope that this will clarify and streamline both the timeliness and treatment options most likely to provide benefit for the majority of sufferers.  However, these are often lifelong problems, with variable ongoing pain and flare-ups.  We remain committed to the management of those individuals, with long-term complex pain problems, who continue to suffer despite these options, and recognise the difficulty in assessing many useful options which have a more limited evidence base, but which often show good benefit/risk profiles improving the wellbeing of individuals and reducing their need for ongoing health and welfare support.