When it comes to lumbar disc herniation, many people are familiar with it. Most patients with lumbar disc herniation can recover through conservative treatment. However, many narrowly interpret conservative treatment as simply bed rest and functional rehabilitation. This understanding is a misconception. Conservative treatment encompasses a wide range of methods, and its effectiveness varies significantly.

The timing for considering surgical treatment is determined by combining the degree of disc pathology with clinical symptoms. Currently, over 80-90% of patients with lumbar disc herniation can be cured through conservative treatment. Surgery is a last resort rather than the only treatment option.

Conservative treatment for lumbar disc herniation primarily includes three aspects:

First, resting on a firm mattress, using lumbar braces for immobilization and protection, taking oral or topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, as well as traditional Chinese or Western medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis, and performing lumbar and back muscle exercises.

Second, rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine treatments, such as traction, acupuncture, massage, local heat therapy, and physiotherapy.

Third, specialized treatments, including small needle-knife therapy, thick warm needle therapy, nerve block therapy, ozone injection therapy, sacral canal therapy, and radiofrequency therapy. In addition to surgical and conservative treatments, minimally invasive interventional therapy is a recent technological advancement and represents the future direction of development. Minimally invasive interventional therapy for lumbar disc herniation has become widespread in China, with numerous methods rapidly evolving and being widely implemented across the country.