Men Are More Prone to Herniated Discs: Here’s How to Mitigate Your Risk

Each year in the United States, about 3 million people herniate a disc, and men outpace women by about 2-to-1. So, why are men more prone to this very painful problem?

For answers, we turn to our team of back pain experts at Pain Medicine Consultants, which has no small amount of experience helping patients to find relief from herniated discs. 

Since June is National Men’s Health Month, we thought it would be a good idea to review a few reasons why men are more vulnerable to herniated discs and how they can reduce their risks.

A quick word about herniated discs

Your spine stretches from the base of your skull to your pelvis and features 33 vertebrae that are separated by 23 intervertebral discs. Each of these discs is made up of a tough outer layer called the annulus fibrosis, which surrounds a jelly-like interior called the nucleus pulposus. 

These discs provide cushioning, support, and stability in your spine, and they also enable range of motion, especially in your low back and neck, which is where most herniated discs occur.

With age and wear-and-tear, discs can become brittle and flatten over time, causing them to escape their vertebral spaces. That’s why herniated discs are also called bulging discs. 

And when disc materials break out, they can irritate nerve fibers in the area, causing symptoms like pain, numbness, and tingling. These symptoms can also radiate outward and down into your legs, which is what occurs with sciatica.

Why men are more at risk for herniated discs

The gender difference in herniated discs is largely due to higher numbers in certain key risk factor categories for herniated discs. In other words, men and women share many of these risk factors, but men engage in them more. Let’s take a look at what we mean.

Smoking

One of the risk factors for herniated discs is smoking and nicotine use. Nicotine shrinks your blood vessels, which prevents nutrients from accessing your discs. As a result, smokers are more prone to premature disc degeneration.

In the US, about 13.1% of men smoke, compared with 10.1% of women.

As for mitigating this risk, we strongly recommend quitting, for your disc health and overall health, and we’re happy to point you in the right direction for smoking cessation programs.

Occupation

Discs can degenerate more quickly if you’re in an occupation that requires heavy lifting, and men are more often found in these positions than women.

On the opposite end, prolonged sitting can also place you at risk for herniated discs, and there are more male delivery drivers and truckers.

So if your occupation is increasing your risk for disc damage, we can help you find ways to avoid this, such as bracing and proper lifting techniques. 

Carrying too much weight

The obesity rate in the US is quite high — slightly more than 40% of adults have obesity and millions more are overweight.

While the weight issue affects men and women fairly equally, men tend to carry more fat around the midsection, which places more stress on the spine. Women, on the other hand, often carry excess weight below their backs in their hips and buttocks.

Given the effect that excess weight can have on your back, it’s a good idea to lose this weight, which is more achievable than ever thanks to the relatively new class of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.

There are more reasons for the gender difference in herniated discs, but the above three are the most common. 

Finding the right prevention plan

If you're struggling with disc-related back pain, we can not only relieve your current pain, but also review your risk factors to prevent the problem down the road. 

To set up an evaluation, simply contact one of our offices in Pleasant Hill, Corte Madera, or Pleasanton, California, to schedule an appointment.