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Review
. 2024 Aug 27;16(8):e67899.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.67899. eCollection 2024 Aug.

Comprehensive Analysis of Treatment Approaches for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review

Plamen Penchev  1 , Ilko G Ilyov  1 , Todor Todorov  2 , Petar-Preslav Petrov  3 , Petar Traykov  4
Affiliations
Review

Comprehensive Analysis of Treatment Approaches for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review

Plamen Penchev et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Lumbar disc herniation is a common disorder that has an important impact on the quality of life and daily activities of those affected. It is defined as the displacement of the nucleus pulposus beyond the intervertebral space. This systematic review aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of several treatment modalities, including conservative, pharmaceutical, and surgical interventions. The data sources utilized were PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane. We conducted a systematic review of English-language articles published between 2019 and 2024, using the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 720 studies were identified during the search. Following the evaluation of the title, abstract, and full text, and the application of exclusion criteria, a total of 15 studies met the requirements for inclusion in the analysis. The results indicate that although conservative treatment is frequently successful in providing immediate relief of symptoms, surgical interventions may be required for patients experiencing neurological deficits or those who do not respond to conservative treatments. One limitation of this systematic review is the inclusion of a limited number of studies, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the review was restricted to English-language publications from 2019 to 2024, potentially excluding relevant research published in other languages or outside this timeframe.

Keywords: conservative treatment; epidural injections; exercises; leg pain; low back pain; lumbar disc herniation; lumbar disc herniation management; lumbar disc herniation surgery; physiotherapy; sciatica.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart showing the process of article selection
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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