Back in October, Robert invited me to be a guest on his podcast, “The Patient Will See You Now.” We had a wonderful conversation about sciatica and sitting disabilities.
Can Antidepressants Treat Sciatica?
The practice of prescribing antidepressants to treat sciatica is widespread. But is it effective? A new review considers the evidence.
Linda’s Story: A Public Relations Professional Struggles to Explain Her Sitting Pain
Linda V, a former public relations professional, struggles to explain her sitting disability. And without understanding, it’s hard to secure the social grace necessary to function in a world designed for sitting.
The Human Spine is an Evolutionary Compromise
Rather than viewing my back problems as an individual failure, I learned to view them as a consequence of weaknesses that evolved along with humans.
There’s a Chronic Pain Narrative, and I’m Off Script
Illnesses are supposed to follow a narrative arc. You get sick, you get treated, you get better. Except, sometimes chronic pain departs from this pattern.
Bipedalism: The Downsides of an Upright Life
I always thought that bipedalism was the boring part of human evolution. But then I realized that the transition to bipedalism is still causing health problems in humans, and the subject got a lot more interesting.
Even Neanderthals Had Back Pain
This article is devoted to the bad spines of hominins that walked upright, but weren’t fully human in the sense of being Homo sapiens. That may sound like an oddly specific topic, but it still breezes through about 3.5 million years of history.
What Does Sciatica Feel Like?
In order to properly describe what sciatica feels like, I surveyed other sciatica sufferers about their experiences.
Three Tools for Measuring Back Pain
I knew there must be better tools for measuring back pain. There must be scales that acknowledge the complexity of the condition, and reveal the sacrifices that are made to avoid pain.
What Did Scientists Learn from Studying Dead Flamingoes?
Flamingoes standing abilities have long fascinated scientists. How can these animals balance their bodies on their long, spindly legs? How can they do this even while sleeping?