There are many ways to treat herniated discs in the lumbar spine, from bed rest to physical therapy; from massage to acupuncture; from fumigation to traction; from medication to closure; from radiofrequency to speculum …… We have almost all the methods and equipment to treat herniated discs. Why there are so many approaches means that none of that approach is foolproof. On the flip side, although they are all herniated discs, the condition is different for each person specifically. Different conditions require different treatment methods, so there are many ways to treat herniated discs. If the disc ruptures, the nucleus pulposus runs into the spinal canal, the pain is so severe that you can’t sleep, so you may need discoscopy or other surgical methods. In general, most lumbar disc herniations do not require surgery, and the usual conservative methods can be effective. Only a small percentage of patients require surgery, those with particularly severe symptoms or recurrent attacks as mentioned earlier. Special attention needs to be paid to patients who undergo surgery, because anyone who is afraid of surgery is worried about the trauma and complications of surgery. That’s why minimally invasive surgery is particularly popular. But minimally invasive surgery is not a panacea, and although minimally invasive surgery, which has come a long way in recent years, still cannot completely replace open surgery. There are two sides to everything. Posterior approach is the smallest open surgery with the advantage of less trauma and the disadvantage of palliative surgery with limitations and the probability of recurrence. Fusion surgery addresses the cause and eliminates instability, but is highly invasive, risky and expensive. To our pain, so far there is no surgical procedure that is less invasive than a posterior approach and has better results than fusion. Just like a camera, even if it is perfect, it is impossible to combine the advantages of all models of cameras. This shows how torn patients with lumbar disc herniation are when it comes to choosing a treatment method. My advice, when you are torn, you can be conservative first; when you are not sure about doing fusion, you can do posterior mirror first. There is never a mistake in using stepped treatment and there is still a chance in the future; I believe there will be a better way in the future. If you can choose minimally invasive treatment, of course, it is welcome. If you cannot choose minimally invasive treatment, don’t worry too much. Even if we do fusion, we are now using dilated channels and muscle gap access to preserve the posterior structure, which is less traumatic and faster to recover; basically, we have abandoned the traditional posterior surgery, which minimizes the damage of surgery. Finally, let’s talk about the problem of risk. Minimally invasive surgery, less trauma, less complications, and better short-term results. Less complications are not the same as no complications, but only a small probability, once they occur, it is 100% for the individual. Only if you are willing to take the risk of surgery can you enjoy the benefits of surgery. Of course, it is our (your and my) common pursuit to solve the disease without surgery, or with only minimally invasive surgery.