Table 5.
Therapeutic recommendations from guidelines for lumbar radicular pain.
| Non-Invasive Interventions | Guideline * | Consistency | Clinical Inference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed rest | ACOEM | Inconsistent | None |
| PARM | |||
| IHM | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Physical activity | NBHD | Common | Should do |
| PARM | |||
| IHM | |||
| ACP-APS | |||
| NICE | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Educational care | NICE | Consistent | Should do |
| ICSI | |||
| NHG | |||
| ACP-APS NBPN |
|||
| Multidisciplinary approach/rehabilitation program/Psychological therapy | NICE | Common | Could do |
| KCE | |||
| UMHS | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Alternative medicine | |||
| Acupuncture | ICSI | Inconsistent | None |
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM | |||
| NICE | |||
| KIOM NBPN |
|||
| Manual therapies | |||
| Traction | NASS | Inconsistent | None |
| KCE | |||
| PRAM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| DLE-DWC | |||
| NICE | |||
| NBPN | |||
| APTA | |||
| Manipulation/mobilisation/soft-tissue techniques | NASS | Inconsistent | None |
| KCE | |||
| ICSI | |||
| NBHD | |||
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| DLE-DWC | |||
| IHM | |||
| NICE | |||
| NHG | |||
| CCGI | |||
| NBPN | |||
| APTA | |||
| Massage | PRAM | Inconsistent | None |
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM NBPN |
|||
| Devices | NICE | Consistent | Do not do |
| (e.g., belts, corset, foot orthotics etc.) | KCE | ||
| ACOEM | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Exercise/physical therapies | NASS | Consistent | Could do |
| KCE | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| NBHD | |||
| CCGI | |||
| NBPN | |||
| APTA | |||
| Electrotherapies | |||
| TENS/PENS/interferential therapy | NICE | Consistent | Do not do |
| KCE | |||
| PRAM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM NBPN |
|||
| Therapeutic ultrasound | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| PARM | |||
| NICE | |||
| Heat/cold/infrared therapies | ICSI | Inconsistent | None |
| PRAM | |||
| UMHS | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| Pharmacological interventions | |||
| Paracetamol | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM | |||
| UMHS | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| ICSI | |||
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Opioids | NICE | Inconsistent | None |
| KCE | |||
| PARM | |||
| IHM | |||
| NHG NBPN |
|||
| Paracetamol + opioids | IHM | Inconsistent | None |
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Anti-epilepticum | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| VA/Dod | |||
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| NASS | |||
| NICE | |||
| NHG | |||
| Muscle relaxants | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| ICSI | |||
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| IHM | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| Antidepressants | NASS | Inconsistent | None |
| NICE | |||
| KCE | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| NHG | |||
| Corticosteroids | VA/Dod | Inconsistent | None |
| PARM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| DLE-DWC | |||
| NHG | |||
| ACP-APS | |||
| Antibiotics | KCE | Inconsistent | None |
| ACOEM | |||
| Cannabis | NICE | Consistent | Do not do |
| NHG | |||
| Invasive Treatments | |||
| Surgery | NASS | Common | Could do |
| APS | |||
| NHG | |||
| DLE-DWC | |||
| IHM | |||
| ACOEM NBPN |
|||
| Injection therapies | |||
| Epidural injections | NICE | Inconsistent | None |
| NASS | |||
| KCE | |||
| VA/Dod | |||
| ICSI | |||
| NBHD | |||
| PRAM | |||
| ACOEM | |||
| ACP | |||
| NHG | |||
| NBPN | |||
| APS | |||
| Referral | PRAM | Consistent | Should do |
| IHM | |||
| NHG |
* Table 1 provides the extensive names of the included guidelines.