Lumbar Disc Disease

Abstract

Study Design: Review article Objectives: To review the causes, pathophysiology, clinical findings, natural course, diagnosis, and treatment of lumbar disc diseases. Summary of Literature Review: Lumbar disc diseases can be divided into disc disease causing back pain and disc herniation causing radiating pain to the lower extremities. These disc diseases are caused by changes in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. Materials and Methods: Review of the relevant articles. Results: Lumbar disc diseases begin with damage to the anulus fibrosis due to degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Low back pain is caused by a chemical inflammatory reaction and neurovascular proliferation. The cause of radiating pain is neuroischemia and chemical inflammatory reaction. Conclusions: Lumbar disc diseases are degenerative diseases caused by damage to the annulus fibrosus and can be diagnosed by clinical findings and magnetic resonance imaging. Non-surgical treatment is preferred, and surgical treatment is considered when sufficient non-surgical treatment yields no improvement.