Malcolm Miller – Testimonial

Suffering excruciating pain through my lower back, buttocks, leg and into my foot I was told by my GP it was sciatica which should clear up, prescribing co codamol and oramorph to manage the pain, I was in agony. Practically bedridden, it was so bad I could not walk and had to crawl out of bed to use the bathroom.

I have private healthcare through work, they referred me for physiotherapy, however on the third visit I was advised to seek the opinion of a neurosurgeon. Presented with a choice of consultant neurosurgeons I chose to go and see Mr Pal. He arranged for an MRI scan and in clinic the following day he explained the scan showed a herniated disc in my back compressing a nerve.

This was what had been causing my back pain, he explained, but because this nerve controls movement and sensation in the lower leg, I also couldn't lift my foot - a problem known as foot drop.

He explained that he could operate to remove part of the herniated disc and release the trapped nerve. The sooner this was done the better my chances of a full recovery, as compressing a nerve for too long can damage it for good, causing permanent loss of sensation and movement in the foot.

He explained everything clearly and told me what I could expect to achieve from the surgery. I decided to go ahead, I could not continue with this amount of pain.

I went into the Spire Hospital in Leeds, I was very nervous about having surgery, but everyone was so reassuring, Mr Pal performed the Microdiscectomy and everything went according to plan, I could not believe I was pain free immediately following the operation, it felt amazing. I cannot thank Mr Pal enough for his excellent work, and his friendly and courteous manner throughout this experience and the attention received from Spire Leeds Hospital, I could not have chosen a better Consultant.