[bedobi]

In my case, I've been suffering from disc herniation induced sciatica for 5 months

When I say suffering, I mean it - I haven't been able to stand, sit, lie down, walk, do anything without constant and extreme pain. For months on end now.

There is a gold standard study called SPORT that proves more or less beyond all doubt that, in the long run, there is no difference in outcomes for patients who get disc herniations surgically removed vs those who don't. Disc herniations eventually heal themselves, all surgery does is fix them sooner than they otherwise would have.

So the tax-funded public health care system in Sweden and other similar countries do not surgically remove disc herniations other than in extreme cases. (loss of bowel control etc)

Thankfully, in the States, I'm able to have the surgery, so I will.

I couldn't care less if in the long run there is no difference in the aggreggate - I don't want to wait another year or two or more for the herniation to heal itself.

I'm not a statistic, I'm a human being lol.

[dekhn]

To add to that studies findings: in general, many people who have back surgery end up worse-off than before, because back surgery is risky.

[bedobi]

Uh, no. That study is literally the source of truth on that topic. There's no "to add to".

I hope you never have to experience what me and others who have the same problem have experienced, but I guarantee you you'd want to do the surgery too if you ever did.

In any case, I was happy to share my story but I have zero interest in debating it, so I'll check out here.

[dekhn]

I've had constant back pain since my teens (and I'm 50) likely due to a damaged disk. I've already gone through this (I work in the medical field and can consult with doctors and medical researchers). I concluded that the risks of back surgery making a problem worse are high enough that I am going to live with the pain for the foreseeable future.