Comparative Analysis on Disc Resorption Rate of Lumbar Disc Herniation Patients after Korean Medicine Treatment and Predictive Factors Associated with Disc Resorption

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of Korean Medicine treatment on lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and predictive factors associated with disc resorption by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods A retrospective study was carried out in 79 lumbar disc herniation patients who had visited Haeundae Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine. Patients' diagnosis was based on MRI. MRI was performed on two or more occasions and patients were received Korean Medicine treatment within the period. The volume of each herniated disc was measured three-dimensionally and patient characteristics, interval between MRIs, herniated disc level, disc herniation type, disc migration, intactness of posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL), initial volume of herniated disc, modic change, disc resorption rate were statistically analyzed. Results The mean volumes of herniated discs before Korean Medicine treatment and after Korean Medicine treatment were 1,547.81±598.15 mm 3 and 947.06±335.28 mm 3 , respectively. The mean resorption rate was 35.7±16.3%. Disc extent, intactness of PLL and initial volume of herniated discs were significantly correlated with resorption rate (p=0.003, p=0.001 and p=0.024, respectively). Conclusions Korean Medicine treatment is an effective conservative treatment for lumbar disc herniation. Factors such as disc migration, intactness of PLL, initial volume of herniated disc have a significant association with disc resorption rate.

Effects of Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression Treatment on the Level of Pain and Quality of Life in Patients with Cervical or Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Retrospective Observational Study

“…Otherwise, conservative treatment has shown positive results [21]. Acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture, Chuna, acupotomy, Korean medicine physical therapy, and exercise therapy are provided as conservative treatment in Korean medicine for herniation of an intervertebral disc [22,23], and traction therapy is also offered to decrease the internal pressure of the disc. Although the traditional traction therapy has shown significant treatment effect for pain and symptoms by decreasing the pressure in the spine [24], there are some studies which report that traditional traction therapy increases internal pressure in the disc due to reflexive muscle spasms, and since traditional traction therapy cannot lower the internal pressure of the disc to reduce the pressure [25].…”