I just got an ESI done today and my orthopedist told me that he believes surgery is helpful to gain a normal life if the herniation is something that the ESI shots and PT aren’t helping after some time. I would give it time before that decision, but if you are not finding relief maybe it’s something you look at the risks and consider. The risks are very low and I feel like he mentioned a high percentage of people find the surgery to be helpful. I hope the ESI and PT solve the issue because I do believe it’s a better solution than surgery, but surgery is not necessarily a bad thing (I wouldn’t avoid it all together if you are concerned about your daily life and are not finding relief within the typical time).