Studies Show Women Are More Susceptible to Herniated Discs
April 17, 2024
A new study suggests women may be more prone to herniated discs than men.
Denise Brown, of Baltimore County, shared her ordeal.
"I had excruciating pain right here in my joint," Brown said. "I used to have to hold my shoulders and pinch it in just to stop the pain."
Brown's back and neck symptoms began after two car accidents, which led her to seek medical help from board certified neurosurgeon Charles C. Park, M.D., Ph.D., Director of The Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
"She works in the office, but she just cannot even go to the office because of real pain and so forth, can't sleep," Dr. Park said.
Brown was diagnosed with disc herniation.
"The discs are they're like a jelly donut. I'll say layers called annulus insert layers - very soft, like crabmeat, like a jelly - sometimes also layers open up and some of the inside material comes outside," Dr. Park said.
In December, Brown decided to undergo surgery to treat her herniated discs. She admitted to being nervous initially.
"I hesitated a lot about having the cervical neck done because I didn't want to get scarred," Brown said.
The procedure she underwent is known as Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion (ACDF). Park showed Brown's pre-op surgery X-ray, indicating where her discs were herniated.
"These are the bones, and this is the plate they were put in. There are two screws on each of the bones. These vertical lines are actually the spaces they're made out of. After we remove the disc, we replace them with the spacers," Dr. Park said.
Post-surgery, Brown reported feeling like a new person.
"I feel 100% - 100%. I'm able to use my arms. I don't have that pain in the back of my neck anymore. I'm not having headaches anymore," Brown said.
However, Brown still has one minor issue to resolve.
"The only other issue that I have is that I need to find a better pillow," Brown said.
About Mercy
Founded in 1874 in Downtown Baltimore by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a 183-licensed bed, acute care, university-affiliated teaching hospital. Mercy has been recognized as a high-performing Maryland hospital (U.S. News & World Report); has achieved an overall 5-Star quality, safety, and patient experience rating (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services); is A-rated for Hospital Safety (Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade); and is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet™ hospital. Mercy Health Services is a not-for-profit health system and the parent company of Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Personal Physicians.
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