07/06/2026
Disc injuries can be scary!
They can be scary because you need your back to function well in order to live your active lifestyle.
Theyâre also scary for a deeper biological reasonâŚ
Theyâre near your spinal cord, and your nervous systemâs job is to keep your spinal cord SAFE.
Thatâs why the alarm bells are so loud when you injure a disc.
What makes this worse is that the healthcare system isnât equipped to provide long-term strategies to resolve a disc injury.
What they ARE equipped to do is use incredible technology to collect information, which, in this case, an MRI.
The trouble is that itâs often poorly communicated to the patient (you!) what the imaging actually means and which options are available.
Sometimes surgery is the best option, and oftentimes itâs not. Itâs challenging to make that decision for yourself when you donât have all the information and youâre dealing with pain.
Surgery is generally the way to go when there is bowel and bladder involvement or loss of motor control (think not being able to lift your toes).
When those issues arenât present, a conservative approach is very much a viable option!
When itâs needed, surgery is a godsend. When itâs performed as a knee-jerk reaction, itâs the opposite.
You always have the right to ask your physician questions.
-Ask about other options.
-Ask about the prognosis if you choose conservative care.
-Ask how they came to their conclusion.
-Ask them to tell you why you SHOULDNâT get surgery.
-Ask for a second opinion.
If you need my support, ask for it; thatâs why Iâm here!
If youâve been frustrated with back pain, and you want to see if we can help you, comment âbackâ, and I will get the conversation going.