Your MRI says far lateral disc herniation? Here’s what that actually means. Most disc herniations press on the nerve inside the spinal canal. Far lateral means the disc is bulging way out to the side—where the nerve exits like an off-ramp. It hits the nerve before it ever gets inside the tunnel. And that spot? It’s one of the hardest places to reach with traditional spine surgery. Bigger incisions, more muscle dissection, and more pain. That’s why endoscopic surgery shines. A tiny camera slides