A 30-year-old dentist in Guangzhou is walking again after waking up paralyzed from a dangerously simple home remedy: sleeping with a pillow under his lower back. The man, identified as Mr. Deng, had been nursing persistent lower back pain. On the night of September 14, he placed a pillow beneath his lower back and buttocks to ease the discomfort. By 7 a.m. the next morning, he could not feel his legs, stand, or control his bladder or bowels.
A Risky Home Remedy
Mr. Deng, who works as a dentist, had a history of recurring back pain. At 180 cm and over 100 kg, he was also overweight—an important risk factor. On that September night, he thought a pillow under his lumbar area would help. Instead, it compressed his spinal cord so severely that he developed acute incomplete paraplegia.
After waking up unable to move his lower body, he was taken to a local hospital, then transferred to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. There, doctors found alarming neurological damage. Sensation was lost below a line two finger-widths below his navel. His upper limb strength remained normal, but his right leg scored just 1–2 out of 5 and his left leg 2–3, far below the normal grade 5. He also lost bowel and bladder control and experienced numbness in the perineal area—classic signs of acute spinal cord compression.
Emergency Surgery and Recovery
Surgeon Jiang Xiaobiao’s spinal team performed emergency surgery using an endoscopic tunnel decompression technique, a method previously reported internationally for the first time. The procedure successfully relieved compression across multiple levels of Mr. Deng’s thoracic and lumbar spine. Intraoperative nerve monitoring showed improved signals. When Mr. Deng woke from anesthesia, he could move both legs, and his muscle strength had largely returned.
Mr. Deng, who stands 180 cm and weighs over 100 kg, had a history of back pain. Hospital tests revealed calcified disc herniation—a condition that made his spine vulnerable to pressure. Doctors said his weight and underlying condition turned a common comfort measure into a medical emergency.
A Risky Home Remedy
Mr. Deng’s ordeal began on the night of September 14, when a fresh wave of back pain led him to place a pillow beneath his lower back and buttocks before going to sleep. By 7 a.m., he had lost feeling in his lower body. He managed to stagger to the bathroom, but then his legs gave out completely.
At the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, tests showed an acute spinal cord compression. Mr. Deng had reduced sensation below a line two finger-widths below his navel, near-complete weakness in his right leg, and significant weakness in his left leg. He also lost bowel and bladder control and experienced perineal numbness—classic signs of incomplete paraplegia.
Surgeon Jiang Xiaobiao’s team performed emergency surgery using an endoscopic tunnel decompression technique, a method previously reported internationally. After the procedure, nerve signals improved, and Mr. Deng’s leg strength returned to near normal.
A Hidden Risk in a Common Habit
Mr. Deng, who is 180 cm tall and weighs more than 100 kg, had a history of lower back pain. Further tests revealed he had a calcified disc herniation. That made his spine especially vulnerable to compression when he placed a pillow under his lower back and buttocks before sleep on September 14. By the next morning, he had lost movement and sensation below the waist, along with bowel and bladder control.
Surgeon Jiang Xiaobiao, who led the emergency team at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said Mr. Deng had acute spinal cord compression. The pressure was so severe that his lower-limb muscle strength had dropped to between grade 1 and 3 on a 5-point scale. The team performed a minimally invasive endoscopic tunnel decompression—a technique previously reported internationally—to relieve the compressed spinal nerves. After surgery, his leg strength largely returned.
Who Should Avoid Sleeping With a Back Pillow?
Dr. Jiang warned that sleeping with a pillow under the lower back is not a one-size-fits-all remedy. While people with healthy spines may tolerate a thin pillow for short periods, others risk serious harm. High-risk groups include:
- People with thoracic or lumbar disc herniation
- Individuals who are overweight or obese
- Those with spinal stenosis
Mr. Deng, who is 180 cm tall and weighed over 100 kg, had undiagnosed calcified disc herniation. His weight and condition made the pillow compress already vulnerable spinal nerves, causing acute spinal cord compression.
Emergency Surgery and Recovery
Doctors at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University found that Mr. Deng had lost sensation below a line two finger-widths below his navel. His right leg strength was nearly zero (grade 1–2 of 5) and his left leg was severely weak (grade 2–3 of 5). He also lost bowel and bladder control—a red flag for acute spinal cord compression.
Surgeon Jiang Xiaobiao and his team performed emergency surgery using an endoscopic tunnel-decompression technique, an approach the hospital says was first reported internationally. After the operation, nerve signals improved, and Mr. Deng’s leg strength essentially returned to normal.
Who Should Never Sleep With a Back Pillow
Dr. Jiang warned that placing a pillow under the lower back is not a harmless trick. While people with healthy spines may tolerate a thin pillow briefly, the practice can be dangerous for others.
- People with thoracic or lumbar disc herniation
- Those who are overweight or obese
- Individuals with spinal stenosis
Mr. Deng, who is 180 cm tall and weighed more than 100 kg, had an undiagnosed calcified disc herniation. The extra pressure likely compressed his spinal cord and triggered acute incomplete paralysis.
When to Seek Immediate Help
Doctors stress that sudden leg weakness, loss of sensation, or bowel and bladder dysfunction are red flags. Anyone experiencing these symptoms after back pain should go to an emergency room immediately. In cases of spinal cord compression, every hour counts: delayed treatment can mean permanent disability. For persistent back pain, expert evaluation—not a pillow hack—is the safer route.