The first common treatment is "Conservative Therapy," bed rest, pain medication, and physiotherapy. If conservative therapy does not bring enough pain relief, surgical procedures may be considered.

Until a few years ago, the only surgical treatment for herniated lumbar discs was the open removal of part of the herniated disc, an often effective but major operation that requires general anesthesia, the dissection of muscle, removal of bone, and at times, bone fusion.

In recent years, techniques employing the use of endoscopy have been incorporated into lumbar spine surgery making minimally invasive spine surgery possible while overcoming disadvantages of traditional techniques. Endoscopic Discectomy can provide an effective way to decompress and repair damaged discs without open surgery.

An Endoscope provides clear visualization and magnification of deep structures. First used in knee surgery, endoscopy (arthroscopy) uses advanced miniaturization and video imaging technology to enable a less invasive and less traumatic discectomy procedure. Please check with an endoscopically-trained spine surgeon to determine if endoscopic surgery is a good treatment option for your condition.