Conservative treatment and natural history of acute lumbar disc lesions

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A study of 73 patients suffering an acute lumbar disc lesion and followed after conservative treatment for an average of 8 yr. is presented. Conservative treatment included confinement to bed, 24 hr/day, for 2 weeks. The matress was placed on wooden fracture boards and only 1 pillow was permitted. At the end of this time, if the patient were free of pain, he was, gradually mobilized during the next week. If pain persisted, bed rest was continued another 7 to 14 days. When the patient was able to walk about the hospital, he was discharged and allowed to return to work within the next few weeks. On the bases of persistence of pain, acute relapses and working capacity 70% of the patients studied showed a satisfactory response. With the reservation of patients presenting gross psychogenic symptoms, it is felt that early surgery is indicated for patients not responding to a period of adequate and absolute bed rest.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: