Her nerve has been pinched for 7 years. It's not "just sciatica."

@stevencyrmd

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SoundTikTok sound · Boundless Worship

Why it worked

The video effectively explains a complex medical condition (synovial cyst causing sciatica) using clear analogies and visual aids, making it understandable and engaging for a general audience. The creator's expertise and direct address to the viewer build trust and authority.

Summary

A spine surgeon explains the cause of a patient's chronic sciatica, detailing how arthritic changes in the facet joints can lead to synovial cysts that press on nerves. He outlines the surgical approach to remove the cyst, emphasizing a minimally invasive technique.

Structure

1Introduction to the patient's 7-year nerve pinch and its cause (L5 nerve).
2Explanation of facet joint arthritis and synovial cyst formation.
3Discussion of how synovial cysts cause pain by pressing on nerves.
4Patient's history of failed conservative treatments (injections, therapy).
5Surgical plan: removing the cyst via a small incision.
6Concluding remarks and well wishes for the patient.

Product placement

Steven Cyr, MD, Spine Surgery (appears on scrubs, likely the creator's own practice, removing it would not change the video's content). Precept (appears on a box in the background, likely medical supplies, removing it would not change the video's content). CYRx MD (appears on screen, likely the creator's practice, removing it would not change the video's content). SASpine.com (appears on screen, likely the creator's practice website, removing it would not change the video's content).

Original caption

7 years of pain down the side of her thigh, into her calf, and onto the top of her foot. If you don’t know that map — that’s the L5 nerve. She’s 51. Fit. Active. She’s already done the work. For the last 7 months she had injections from a pain doctor. Those can quiet a nerve. They cannot fix a worn facet joint. As we get older, those joints in the back of the spine start to shift and grind. The capsule weakens. Fluid leaks out and forms a synovial cyst — a balloon of joint fluid sitting right on the nerve. That’s what we found. That’s what we are going to take out through a 1-inch incision. Not every “sciatica” is a disc. Sometimes the joint itself built the problem. — Dr. Steven Cyr | Spine Surgeon | 📍San Antonio & Houston Questions about your own MRI or a second opinion: 210-487-7463 #SynovialCyst #Radiculopathy #sciaticarelief #nervepain #LegPain

More from @stevencyrmd

On-screen text

Her nerve has been pinched for 7 years. It's not "just sciatica." OKAY, SO THIS CASE OF THE DAY. CASE. AGAIN, TODAY IS MY SMALL CASE. I ACTUALLY HAVE A SMALL PATIENT, WHO CAME TO US FOR THE OF PROGRESSIVELY WORSENING Sharp surgical instruments, needles, and fragments of fractured bone can easily puncture or tear a latex or nitrile glove. HER PAIN SHOOTS DOWN THE SIDE SIDE OF HER CALF, INTO THE TOP OF HER FOOT, DON'T KNOW, L5 NERVE. AND WHEN WE INVESTIGATED WHAT'S GOING Dr. Cyr's thorough scrub ensures that if a glove fails mid- procedure, his skin is as close to sterile as possible, protecting the patient until the glove can be changed. SHE'S HAD INJECTIONS FOR THE LAST A REALLY GOOD PAIN DOCTOR AND HAS HAD ACTIVITY MODIFICATION. SHE'S HAD THERAPY. SHE'S REALLY FIT, SHE'S SUPER ACTIVE, Dr Cyr is a strong advocate for conservative, non- surgical treatment before considering spine surgery. PLAYS A LOT OF SPORTS. SHE'S 51. AND UNFORTUNATELY, COME Spine surgery should be reserved only for patients who have failed all conservative efforts, whose quality of life remains severely compromised, or who exhibit progressive neurological "red flags" ~Dr Cyr IN KEEPING WITH SOMETIMES WE DEVELOP OUR SPINE. AND WHAT HAS THE ARTHRITIS CHANGES HAVE RESULTED IN THE FACET JOINT, JOINT IN THE THAT KIND OF HOLDS THE ARCH OF THE SPINE, OF THE SPINE TOGETHER. THE LEVEL, THE LEVEL ABOVE AND AT THAT JOINT ON THE SIDE OF THE SPINE, ON EACH SIDE. AND SOMETIMES THOSE FACET JOINTS START TO SHIFT AND GRIND. JUST LIKE THE DISC, IT CAN AND GRIND. FACET SHIFT AND GRIND, SOMETIMES THE CAPSULE THAT HOLDS THE FLUID IN THAT JOINT, GETS A WEAK SPOT IN IT, AND THAT CAPSULE BULGES OUT. THE JOINT IS FILLED WITH SYNOVIAL FLUID, WHICH IS KIND A VISCOUS. IT'S LIKE OIL. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS FRICTION AND KEEPS THE JOINTS FROM GRINDING TOGETHER. WELL, WHEN THAT SOFT SPOT OCCURS, IT'S LIKE A. AN INNER TUBE IF YOU'VE EVER TUBE THAT WAS WEAK, IT'LL BULGE OUT ON ONE SIDE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT A SPINAL SYNOVIAL CYST IS A BENIGN, FLUID-FILLED SAC THAT DEVELOPS FROM THE LINING OF A FACET JOINT IN THE SPINE, MOST COMMONLY IN THE LOWER BACK (LUMBAR REGION). IN THE SPINE, IT'S A THINNING FROM ARTHRITIC WEAR. THAT CAUSES THE DISC TO NOT BUT THE JOINT, TO HAVE THIS BULGE. AND THAT CYST WHERE THE NERVES ARE. ON TOP OF SO IT PINCHES THE NERVE, JUST HERNIATION IS WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS. THIS COMES FROM THE JOINT, ON THE SIDE, IF IT'S BIG ENOUGH, IT'LL PUT A ON THE NERVE, CAUSE SEVERE PAIN. SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAS. BEHOLD, IN 2018, THE SAME THING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, WE'RE DOING IS THE OPPOSITE SIDE, REMOVE THE CYST. THE BEST WAY IS SURGICALLY. WE ALWAYS TRY INJECTIONS, TO SOMETIMES RUPTURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. DOCTORS THAT WE REFER TO. BUT IN THIS DONE THAT, WORKED. AND SO AND WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THAT CYST. A SMALL AT ONE INCH INCISION. SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TWO SCARS. A SMALLER INCISION, CYRX MD SASpine.com Offices in Houston and San Antonio OLD SCAR. JUST USE ONE SCAR IN THE MIDLINE AND TRY TO OF IT, HOPEFULLY PERMANENTLY, AND THEN SHE'LL MOVE ON AND DO GREAT. SO SAY A PRAYER FOR HER GREAT DAY.

Transcript

Okay, so this case of the day. Case. Again, today is my small case. I actually have a small patient, who came to us for the of progressively worsening Sharp surgical instruments, needles, and fragments of fractured bone can easily puncture or tear a latex or nitrile glove. Her pain shoots down the side side of her calf, into the top of her foot. Don't know, L5 nerve. And when we investigated what's going Dr. Cyr's thorough scrub ensures that if a glove fails mid- procedure, his skin is as close to sterile as possible, protecting the patient until the glove can be changed. She's had injections for the last a really good pain doctor and has had activity modification. She's had therapy. She's really fit, she's super active, Dr Cyr is a strong advocate for conservative, non- surgical treatment before considering spine surgery. plays a lot of sports. She's 51. And unfortunately, come Spine surgery should be reserved only for patients who have failed all conservative efforts, whose quality of life remains severely compromised, or who exhibit progressive neurological "red flags" ~Dr Cyr In keeping with sometimes we develop our spine. And what has the arthritis changes have resulted in the facet joint, joint in the that kind of holds the arch of the spine, of the spine together. the level, the level above and at that joint on the side of the spine, on each side. And sometimes those facet joints start to shift and grind. just like the disc, it can and grind. facet shift and grind, sometimes the capsule that holds the fluid in that joint, gets a weak spot in it, and that capsule bulges out. The joint is filled with synovial fluid, which is kind a viscous. It's like oil. It's like something that allows friction and keeps the joints from grinding together. Well, when that soft spot occurs, it's like a. An inner tube if you've ever tube that was weak, it'll bulge out on one side. That's exactly what A spinal synovial cyst is A benign, fluid-filled sac that develops from the lining of a facet joint in the spine, most commonly in the lower back (lumbar region). In the spine, it's a thinning from arthritic wear. that causes the disc to not but the joint, to have this bulge. And that cyst where the nerves are. On top of so it pinches the nerve, just herniation is what the difference is. This comes from the joint, on the side, if it's big enough, it'll put a on the nerve, cause severe pain. So that's exactly what she has. Behold, in 2018, the same thing on the opposite side, we're doing is the opposite side, remove the cyst. The best way is surgically. We always try injections, to sometimes rupture and things like that. Doctors that we refer to. But in this done that, worked. And so And we're gonna remove that cyst. A small at one inch incision. So that we don't have two scars. A smaller incision, CYRX MD SASpine.com Offices in Houston and San Antonio old scar. Just use one scar in the midline and try to of it, hopefully permanently, And then she'll move on and do great. So say a prayer for her great day.