Over 90 percents of the patients with lumbar radiculopathy secondary to the herniated nucleus pulposus improve to a pain-free or functional level with conservative treatment.
The mechanism of improvement, that is what happens to the herniated disc material is still unclear.
We present three cases of lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy confirmed by the physical examination, electrediagnostic test and MRI.
The direction and location of disc herniation in the MRI findings were compactible with the side and level of radiculopathy in all three cases.
Follow up MRI was performed after the clinical improvement and complete resolution of the neurological deficit.
From these three cases, the mechanism of the healing process of the herniated disc disease can be guessed as follows.
1) The absorption of the herniated disc material relieves the spinal nerve root compression resulting in improvement in clinical symptoms & signs.
2) The resolution of the inflammatory reaction results in improvement in clinial symptoms & signs.
