Should I have a discectomy? How do I decide? The MRI clearly shows a bad disc but it also shows one that healed several years ago. I didn't have surgery then and it got better. Should I use the same wait-and-see approach now?
A recent review of 39 studies on the treatment of lumbar disc problems shows that most lumbar disc prolapses resolve over time. The wait-and-see or do nothing approach seems to work for a large number of people.
But there are a small number of folks who don't seem to recover after a disc prolapse. These patients may be better off having the disc removed. This operation is called a discectomy.
The goal of research is to find out which patients would be better off with pain relievers and exercise and which ones should have the operation sooner than later. If you have a past history of disc prolapse that has healed satisfactorily, you may have the same response this time with the same approach.
Use this information along with any advise your surgeon may offer in making your decision. It is clear that although discectomy can reduce your painful symptoms early on, the long-term effects are unknown.
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