What Are the Indications For Spinal Discectomy Surgery With a Lumbar Herniated Disc (Slipped Disc)?
The incidence of having a lumbar herniated disc (slipped disc) with resultant sciatica in the US is 1%. So it’s a common phenomenon and a considerable source of pain and disability when the pinched nerve happens. Does it mean a patient always needs surgery for pain relief? The answer is no. The vast majority of patients with a lumbar herniated disc (slipped disc) achieve pain resolution without having a spinal laminectomy surgery. Once the diagnosis of lumbar herniated disc is made, conservative treatment should begin. Pain management for the lumbar disk herniation can include physical therapy, spinal decompression treatment, chiropractic treatment, spinal epidural injections, and pain medications including NSAIDS, Tylenol, Narcotics, Muscel Relaxants, or neuropathic modulation medications. In the very acute phase, a medrol dose pak may be extremely beneficial which is a large initial dose of Prednisone (steroid) which tapers off over a few days. If a patient is simply experiencing sci
