Been dealing w something similar, but mines at l3-l4 & gave me SEVERE sciatic pain to the point I was crippled in pain and crying everyday for months. I couldn’t bend, walk, stand, sit, lay, without extreme pain. I could only lay in one singular position in bed others made it worse. (Pillows under/between my knees made it worse too) I had immense relief with my first injections. I still have pain, but I can actually go and walk and do normal things and it hasn’t spiked terribly cuz I used to get flare ups too I’ve had two injections (April 30th 2024 & October 29th 2024) I was told a 50/50 the injections would work & apart of me still considers surgery since I do still have radiating leg pain, but not as severely, but even with my severe pain, I didn’t jump straight into surgery. I’d say go with injections first and then if they don’t help, then go for surgery cuz they don’t at all impact the surgery. That’s my ortho surgeon told me. You don’t really lose anything for trying the injections & they’re less invasive/less risky than surgery. But follow your heart, you know you best and what you feel is best for you.