Conservative Versus Aggressive Discectomy for Primary Disc Herniation With Radiculopathy

Inclusion Criteria: * Duration of symptoms: 6 or more weeks. * Treatments tried: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medical therapy and physical therapy. * Surgical screening: Persistent radicular pain provoked by moderate exercise, sitting, increased abdominal pressure, decreased mobility, list (scoliosis), straight leg raising. * Tests: MRI to confirm diagnosis and level(s). Exclusion Criteria: * Previous lumbar spine surgery. * Not a surgical candidate for any of these reasons: Overall health which makes spinal surgery too life-threatening to be an appropriate alternative, dramatic improvement with conservative care, or inability (for any reason) to undergo surgery within 6 months. * Possible pregnancy. * Active malignancy: A patient with a history of any invasive malignancy (except non-melanoma skin cancer) is ineligible unless he or she has been treated with a curative intent AND there has been no clinical signs or symptoms of the malignancy for at least 5 years. * Current fracture, infection, and/or deformity (greater than 15 degrees of lumbar scoliosis, using Cobb measure technique) of the spine. * Age less than 18 years. * Cauda Equina syndrome or progressive neurological deficit (usually requiring urgent surgery). * Unavailability for follow-up (planning to move, no telephone, etc.) or inability to complete data surveys. * Symptoms less than 6 weeks. * Patient currently enrolled in any experimental "spine related" study.