Advantages and disadvantages of conservative treatment of lumbar disc herniation

At present, various non-surgical treatment methods are often used clinically, mainly including rest on a rigid bed, lumbar circumference braking protection, oral or external anti-inflammatory and pain relief, traction and manipulation, acupuncture treatment, Chinese and Western medicines to activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, lumbar back muscle exercises, local heat physiotherapy and other measures. Non-surgical treatment is mainly to improve local microcirculation, promote the metabolism and excretion of inflammatory reactive substances, correct the disorder of small joints of the lumbar spine, adjust the mechanical balance, etc. to provide favorable conditions for self-repair through the above means. And use its pathological regression characteristics to improve the efficacy. However, non-surgical treatment has its limitations because it cannot completely release the mechanical compression of nerve roots, expand the narrowed spinal canal and nerve root canal, and release nerve root adhesions. Clinically, bed rest during the acute period and functional exercise during the recovery period are also non-operative treatments. The key is to master the indications. Reasonable combination of various methods and staged treatment can help improve the efficacy. However, disc herniation is the end of disc degeneration, and the current therapies are unable to stop disc degeneration.