Treatments considerations for a lumbar herniated disk: conservative vs. surgical options Deciding between herniated disk treatments The decision to continue with conservative treatment options or have surgery principally depends on one’s level of pain and dysfunction. Patients who can still function relatively well should continue with conservative care. People with severe pain that results in a great deal of dysfunction may want to consider surgical decompression of the nerve root. Benefits of herniated disk surgery With modern imaging studies (such as MRI scans) and more accurate diagnosis, along with better and less invasive surgical techniques, surgery often represents a more cost-effective alternative than prolonged non-operative treatment. Lumbar herniated disk surgery effectiveness In as study by Malter et. al., statistical analysis and historical models from spine surgery literature were used to show that surgery after six weeks probably represents a cheaper option than continued conservative treatment. This study factored in patient satisfaction with the results of treatment, and used a statistical tool known as Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY). Patients with a great deal of pain relief rated the procedure high on the quality ratings and this offset the costs of surgery.