What are the misconceptions about lumbar disc herniation?

Myth 1: Low back pain is not a disease. According to statistics, more than 95% of people have experienced low back and leg pain in their lifetime. Diseases that cause low back and leg pain can involve almost all systems of the body. Some of the primary diseases of low back and leg pain are cured, the pain also disappears, there are also some untreated. Some patients therefore think that low back pain is not a disease. In fact, lumbar disc herniation caused by low back pain is not only considered a disease, and must be taken seriously. Because this disease can not only cause lumbar and leg pain, but also cause lower limb numbness, cold, weakness, or even paralysis and urinary and bowel obstruction, seriously affecting the quality of life. Myth No. 2: Lumbar and leg pain can’t be cured. Lumbar disc herniation is characterized by easy recurrence, especially for neurological dysfunction, the repair process is longer. Therefore, some patients, and even some non-specialized doctors also think that lumbar disc herniation can not be cured. In fact, the overall effect of lumbar disc herniation treatment is very good, the excellent rate is about 95%. The so-called cure is not good for two reasons: one is to choose the method is not appropriate, the second is not adhere to the treatment. Some patients hear where there is a new treatment where to go to cure, but where can not adhere to, and ultimately is to run a lot of places, but the effect is not ideal. Myth No. 3: Superstitious about a certain method. There are two types of treatments for lumbar disc herniation: surgical and non-surgical. The latter has traction, massage, internal and external medication, percutaneous cutting suction, collagenase dissolution and other methods, it should be said that which method can also cure some patients, but which method can not cure all the patients, and even in some cases, some therapies are contraindicated. Therefore, the correct attitude is based on clinical symptoms, signs, course of the disease, imaging tests to choose a specific treatment suitable for each patient, can not be one-sided exaggeration, superstitious about a particular therapy, and can not subjectively resist a particular therapy. Myth No. 4: Misunderstanding of surgery. Most patients with lumbar disc herniation can be relieved or cured by non-surgical therapies, but there are still some patients who need surgery. There are two diametrically opposed misconceptions when it comes to the issue of surgery: one is blind surgery and the other is refusal of surgery. The former believes that lumbar disc herniation can only be eradicated by surgery, and thus does not choose, as long as the lumbar disc is herniated, as long as the patient agrees to surgical treatment. This on the one hand increases the unnecessary economic burden on the patient, and on the other hand increases the chance of “lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome”. In fact, the indications for surgery for lumbar disc herniation are very strict, and surgery is not the first choice in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. The latter extends the negative effects of surgery, such as nerve damage, and thinks that surgery should not be done, but rather conservative treatment. It should be said that some of the patients with indications for surgery can have their main symptoms relieved after conservative treatment, but there are always some symptoms left behind that are difficult to improve, while most of the patients with indications for surgery can not be replaced by any conservative treatment and must undergo surgical treatment, and the earlier the better, otherwise the loss of neurological function may become permanent. Therefore, it is important to treat the issue of surgery and conservatism in a discriminatory manner, neither easy surgery, nor a conservative.