Editorial Policy

Here's how each page on The Sciatica Notebook gets written.

Start with the reader's question

Every article answers a question people actually type, in their words: "pain down my leg," "flare-up," "why is it worse at night." Medical terms come second, in brackets.

Check the study before quoting it

Research claims link to the study itself (usually on PubMed), a medical journal or an official health service such as the NHS. Before linking, we read the summary and make sure it says what the article says it does.

Plain evidence grades

Ingredients and remedies are graded as strong, some evidence (at least one controlled trial in sciatica or disc-related back pain), early research (one small trial or mixed results), or not tested in sciatica.

No invented proof

No made-up testimonials, credentials or results. Ellen's notebook entries describe her own experience and aren't a promise of what will happen for you.

Honest dates

A page's date changes only when its information changes: a new study, a new price, a correction. Pages aren't re-dated to look fresh.