Lumbar disc does not always need surgery When should we worry about back pain?

Many lumbar disc sufferers think that surgery is the only way to get rid of the pain. While experts say that disc detection in MRI images does not necessarily mean the need for surgery and a significant part of patients recover with non-surgical methods.

According to Ambassador Arjan, back pain is one of the most common skeletal and muscular problems that can affect people of different ages. Lack of movement, prolonged sitting, overweight and some spine problems are factors contributing to the occurrence or aggravation of this condition. However, contrary to popular belief, not every back pain is a symptom of a lumbar disc, and even the diagnosis of a herniated disc does not necessarily mean the need for surgery.

Mohammad Hossein Delshad, a specialist in pain fellowship and the secretary of the Pain Research and Study Association in Iran, at the same time as the World Back Pain Day, emphasized the importance of accurately diagnosing the cause of pain and told Ambassador Arjan: In addition to affecting people's health and quality of life, back pain is one of the most important problems of the health system, which also leads to treatment costs, absenteeism and reduced productivity.

Referring to the high prevalence of this condition, he added: According to global statistics, about 80% of people experience back pain at least once in their lifetime. For this reason, it is very important to know the factors that cause pain, prevention strategies and choosing the right treatment method.

Delshad stated that the observation of disc protrusion in MRI images alone is not a sufficient reason for surgery, and explained: Many people worry about surgery after seeing the results of imaging and diagnosing lumbar disc problems; While the decision about the type of treatment should be made based on a set of factors.

According to him, clinical examination, type and severity of symptoms, duration of pain and the extent of its impact on the patient's daily activities are the most important criteria that the doctor considers for choosing the treatment method. Therefore, it is not possible to decide on the necessity of surgery based only on the MRI result.

This pain specialist emphasized: In many patients, by choosing appropriate treatment methods, pain can be controlled without the need for surgery and the conditions for a person's return to daily activities can be provided.

The secretary of the Pain Research and Study Association in Iran said about the non-surgical methods of back pain: patient education, lifestyle modification, changing activities that cause pain intensification, proper movement programs and rehabilitation are the most important measures that can be effective in controlling back pain.

He continued: In some patients, according to the severity and type of pain, it becomes necessary to use drug treatments or specialized pain interventions. The choice of each of these methods should be made according to the patient's condition and after careful evaluation.

Referring to the recommendations of the World Health Organization regarding the management of chronic back pain, Delshad added: a multifaceted approach should be used in the treatment of this condition; In the sense that the treatment is not limited to the use of medicine or a therapeutic action and a set of methods appropriate to the patient's condition is taken into consideration.

This pain specialist fellowship emphasized that the goal of back pain treatment should not be only temporary reduction of pain, and stated: returning the patient to normal life activities, improving mobility and increasing quality of life are the most important goals of treatment.

According to him, making decisions based solely on MRI images or arbitrary use of drugs and treatment methods may hinder the treatment process. For this reason, patients should avoid choosing treatment methods without investigating the root cause of the pain.

Delshad explained about the cases in which the patient may need surgery: if non-surgical treatments do not have sufficient response or if the patient is facing specific and serious symptoms, it may be necessary to use interventional methods or surgery.

He emphasized: The selection of surgery or other treatment methods should be done after expert evaluation and according to the conditions of each patient, and the same prescription cannot be prescribed for all back pain sufferers.

The secretary of the Pain Research and Study Association in Iran also warned: persistent backaches or pains that spread to the lower limbs require specialized examination and should not be ignored without diagnosing the cause.

He emphasized: The most important message to patients is that the diagnosis of a lumbar disc does not mean that surgery is certain. Many sufferers can achieve pain control, functional improvement and return to normal life without the need for surgery with correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.