Herniated discs OP or conservative

Herniated discs: surgical or conservative

09/18/2014

Almost all patients can choose between a surgery or the so-called conservative therapy in the case of a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Conservative therapy treats a disease state by means of drug therapy and also physical measures. This can be seen as the opposite of surgical treatment. Both long-term results are comparable and deliver equally good results after one year. “However, operated patients are faster without complaints“ said Professor Bernhard Meyer from the Klinikum rechts der Isar at a press conference at the Neurowoche in Munich. Serious complications are low in both methods and have a rate of 2 to 4 percent.

Immediate surgery is rarely necessary
Immediate surgery is usually only necessary if paralysis, bladder and intestinal complaints occur. If no neurological deficits are present, then conservative therapy is the best method.
This also applies to patients who suffer from mild paralysis. In both treatments, the paralysis passes by 80%. The conservative method is used in 90% of all herniated discs and lasts at least 3 months. The treatment consists u.a. Gentle and muscle-relaxing heat treatment that relieve painful muscle tension.

"The annual rate of herniated discs in industrialized countries is 5 out of every 1,000 people". These are often a result of overuse or age-related degradation processes of the intervertebral discs. Most disc herniations occur on the lumbar spine. (Bn)