An unexpectedly progressed lumbar herniated disk

Abstract

The authors describe a case of a 26-year-old female military veteran who presented with low back pain that she attributed to a recent foot injury. The patient reported a history of lumbar pain while in the military that had been treated successfully with high-velocity, low-amplitude osteopathic manipulative treatment. The patient's current pain was improved with osteopathic manipulative treatment and gait correction. Several weeks after her initial presentation, the patient reported that she had had a herniated disk diagnosed 2 years earlier by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Updated magnetic resonance imaging was performed, the results of which revealed a large herniated disk that had caused severe stenosis. The patient was immediately referred to a neurosurgeon for consultation and subsequently underwent surgical treatment. © 2013 American Osteopathic Association.