Spine & hEDS/HSD
Disc Herniation and Protrusion in Hypermobility
None of us writing this are doctors. This page collects what the published research actually says about disc herniation in hEDS/HSD, so you have something concrete to bring to a doctor.
A herniated or bulging disc is often treated as an injury with a clear cause - heavy lifting, an accident, gradual wear. In hEDS/HSD, the data suggests it may simply be more likely to happen in the first place, independent of an obvious triggering event.
How Common Is Disc Herniation in hEDS/HSD?
The same 2023 study of 327 hEDS/HSD patients found disc hernias or protrusions in 53.99% of the cohort overall - just over half. The rate was higher in hEDS (65.52%) than HSD (46.03%), and rose sharply with age in both groups: 81.25% of hEDS patients aged 30 or older had this finding, compared to 46.15% of those under 30. In HSD, the jump was even larger: 67.11% at 30-plus versus just 14.00% under 30.
This fits the same mechanical pattern discussed on the back pain and spinal instability page elsewhere on this site: connective tissue that provides less consistent support to the spine puts more strain on the discs between vertebrae over time. This study documented how often disc herniation appears, not whether it is more or less severe in hEDS/HSD compared to the general population when it does occur.
What to do with this
If you have chronic back or neck pain and have not had imaging to check for disc herniation, this research suggests it is common enough in hEDS/HSD to be worth ruling in or out specifically, particularly if you are 30 or older. This connects directly to the back pain and spinal instability research covered elsewhere on this site - core-stability physical therapy approaches discussed there are relevant regardless of whether a disc herniation is specifically present.