A Systematic Review of Treatment Guidelines for Lumbar Disc Herniation

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Pain Management

Background:

• Herniated lumbar discs (HLD) are a common condition requiring structured treatment approaches.
• Clinical guidelines from professional associations guide the management of HLD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To consolidate recent clinical guidelines on herniated lumbar disc (HLD) treatment.
• To summarize conclusions on nonsurgical and surgical treatment options for HLD.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of multiple databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, etc.) and medical society websites was conducted.
• Full-text guidelines from professional associations in English relevant to HLD were included.
• Comparisons were made based on evaluated treatments, and recommendation grades were recorded.

Main Results:

• Twelve guidelines were analyzed, originating from diverse international and US-based professional societies and agencies.
• Treatments evaluated included surgical, invasive nonsurgical, and noninvasive nonsurgical interventions.
• Established surgical techniques and epidural injections received higher confidence ratings, whereas noninvasive therapies (except CBT) showed limited evidence.

Conclusions:

• Herniated lumbar disc (HLD) management involves various modalities, with specific therapies offering better pain relief.
• Despite guideline variations, surgical interventions and epidural injections are consistently recommended with higher confidence.
• Further research is needed to evaluate newer treatment methods for HLD.