there are people who really have a herniated disc – a protruding and even herniated intervertebral disc, clearly visible on an MRI scan or a CT scan – but without any complaints.
And there are people with severe complaints but nothing visible on any scan….
Let’s be clear about two things: 1 – the herniation is not a good thing and should definitely be dealt with and 2 – It is highly doubtful that the complaints are caused by the herniated disc.
Sound scientific reasoning demands us to conclude that the herniated disc cannot be the cause of the pain, but that there must be something else causing the pains.
Herniated Discs – Questions For Your Doctor
This is what you could discuss with your GP:
You can have a demonstrable disc herniation (protruding intervertebral disc) without any back pain or radiating pain at all,
You can have back pain and/or radiating pain while you also have a clear herniated or bulging disc.
You can have debilitating back pain and radiating pain without having a herniated disc.
Then, ask your doctor or specialist the next two questions:
How is this possible? (herniated-disc-yes no-pain, no-herniated-disc no-pain, herniated-disc-yes pain-yes).
What to do if I have pain without a clear cause?
OK, OK, now you probably want me to come up with answers, and I will. Because I was wondering the same thing and didn’t stop looking until I found the answer.
What do all people with a herniated disc have in common? The herniated disc. Right answer.
What do all people with pain in common? The pain and not always the herniated disc. Right again.
So logic dictates that the pain is the common factor, and the explanation for it is not the herniated disc, but something else.
Herniated Disc Not A Good Explanation For Pain
Because if the disc herniation would be the cause, then everybody with a herniated disc should have pain, and that just isn’t the case. So there has to be another explanation.
Fortunately, research has been done worldwide into this exact question, and thanks to that we now have some good explanations.
In one of the following articles, I will elaborate on the causes of pain in your back and also the radiating pains and then come up with answers to as many questions as possible…
…but before you are going to ask your doctor these difficult questions, ask yourself this one question first…
Are you a patient?
