Before I got pregnant, I already knew I had a herniated disc at L5-S1. When I learned I was expecting, I naturally wanted to know how the two conditions would interact.
Tag: herniated disc
Why Are Astronauts Weirdly Susceptible to Herniated Discs?
Astronauts face many unique job hazards, including an abnormally high rate of disk herniations. The ESA asked scientists to figure out why astronauts’ discs were in such bad shape.
How Likely Are You to Reherniate After a Discectomy?
After reading a certain number of social media posts from people who are terrified they’ve reherniated, I started to wonder: just how often do discs reherniate after a discectomy?
For Microdiscectomy Success, Does the Type of Herniation Matter?
As I was investigating reherniation rates and the effectiveness of microdiscectomies, I came across a paper that sought to answer a question I hadn’t thought to ask – does the type of herniation matter?
Microdiscectomy vs. Conservative Care for Sciatica: How Do They Measure Up?
For years, I wondered whether a microdiscectomy would have fixed my sciatica. To find out, I turned to the data.
7 Exercises to Avoid If You Have Sciatica
In his textbook for coaches and trainers of elite athletes, Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance: Sixth Edition, Dr. Stuart McGill lists pervasive exercises that are particularly damaging to the spine. To my consternation, this list overlaps almost perfectly with the list of exercises I loved best when I was dedicated to pole dancing. Don’t be like me, kids! Save your spines! Don’t do these seven exercises!
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.
Disc Herniations: A Failure Between the Bones
A disc herniation is a simple concept to explain. A bit of disc material crosses the border, and starts occupying space that belongs to other tissues. But when I started reading up on disc herniations in an effort to understand my own, I realized that this simple definition belies the complex nature of the tissues and processes involved. The disc itself is an impressive feat of engineering, but it also has fatal weaknesses. And once structural integrity has failed, the disc is capable of wreaking havoc on the body to a degree inconsistent with its small size. What a Disc…
Stan’s Story: From Aspiring Nomad to Homebody to Sciatica Cheerleader
Stan moved to Miami to enjoy the outdoors and fix up a van. Instead, he got sciatica, and saw the inside of his house.
Sitting and Back Pain: What’s the Connection?
Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that back problems are linked to sitting pain, in the same way that rain is linked to mud.