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. 2025 Jul 21;10(3):CASE24873.
doi: 10.3171/CASE24873. Print 2025 Jul 21.

Spontaneous resorption of herniated lumbar discs: illustrative cases

Milanka J Novak  1 , Rosalind L Jeffree  2   3
Affiliations

Spontaneous resorption of herniated lumbar discs: illustrative cases

Milanka J Novak et al. J Neurosurg Case Lessons. .

Abstract

Background: It is well recognized that symptoms of lumbar disc herniation often improve with conservative management. It is less well understood that the disc herniation resolves over time.

Observations: The authors present several cases demonstrating the natural history of resolution of lumbar disc herniation. All cases also experienced symptomatic improvement of their radicular pain.

Lessons: These findings provide radiological evidence of the pathophysiology behind symptom resolution with conservative management of lumbar disc herniation and provide support for conservative management of lumbar disc herniation. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24873.

Keywords: case report; degenerative disc; lumbar disc herniation; spine.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (August 2019). Sagittal (C) and axial (D) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (February 2021).
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (December 2021). Sagittal (C) and axial (D) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (January 2023).
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
Sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (February 2023). Sagittal (C) and axial (D) T2-weighted MR images of the lumbar spine (July 2023).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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