• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.565-577
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• 1996

This study was conducted to evaluate the association of work posture with cervical spine abnormality toward 106 microwave-oven assemblers. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain a general characteristics and a work history of workers. The posture of neck and shoulder joint of workers were measured with video tape recording and the simple X-ray of cervical spine was checked-up to observe the X-ray abnormality including degenerative change, curvature abnormality, disc space narrowing or disc canal narrowing. The result were as follows. 1. The prevalence of degenerative change among cervicobrachial disorder workers was 44.3% (47 persons), curvature abnormality was 43.4%(46 persons), disc space narrowing was 21.7%(23 persons), and disc canal narrowing was 21.7%(23 persons). 2. The prevalence of degenerative change at cervical spine was increased with the degree of neck flexion(flexed versus neutral, odds ratio [OR]=2.7), the total work posture of neck(mild or severe awkward versus neutral ; OR=1.2, 3.4). 3. The prevalence of degenerative change at cervical spine was increased with the degree of the right shoulder flexion, the heaviness of the materials carried by the right hand and the degree of awkwardness at the total work posture of right shoulder(p<0.05). 4. There was no evidence of association between curvature abnormality, disc space narrowing, disc canal narrowing and work posture. In conclusion the awkward work posture was related with degenerative change of cervical spine among microwave oven assembling workers and the further study in these field must be made to prove the association objectively.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.145-152
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• 2008

Objectives : This study is to survey the effectiveness of the oriental medicine treatment on cervical disc herniation. Methods : The clinical study was done on 88 cases of patients with cervical disc herniation diagnosed by M.R.I, symptoms and physical test who admitted in Ja-seng Oriental Medicine Hospital from January 2006 to March 2008. After treatment, the efficacy was evaluated according to the criteria of Robinson et al. Results : The clinical results were satisfactory as excellent in cases, good in cases, fair in cases, 92.05% of all were improved above good state Conclusions : Oriental medicine treatment is effective on the recovery of cervical disc heniation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.36-39
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• 2012

The spontaneous regression of herniated cervical discs is not a well-established phenomenon. However, we encountered a case of a spontaneous regression of a severe radiculopathic herniated cervical disc that was treated with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herb medicine. The symptoms were improved within 12 months of treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted at that time revealed marked regression of the herniated disc. This case provides an additional example of spontaneous regression of a herniated cervical disc documented by MRI following non-surgical treatment.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2012

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture therapy in patients with Cervical Herniated Intervertebral Disc Methods: We investigated 30 cases of patients with Cervical Herniated Intervertebral Disc, who had been treated from October 2008 to December 2011. We divided patients into two groups: Group I was treated by Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture therapy and general acupuncture and Group II was treated by acupuncture therapy only. We measured the efficacy of treatments using the numerical rating scale(NRS). Results: 1. The treatment method for Group I was more effective than that of Group II in reducing the NRS on the tenth day after admission but there was no statistically significant difference between the results of two groups on the fifth day after admission and the tenth day after admission. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture therapy is effective in reducing pain for patients with Cervical Herniated Intervertebral Disc. Further clinical research is needed to verify these results and findings.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1420-1425
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of traction and decompression therapies on the cervical muscle tone and disc height. The decompression group (n=16) received decompression therapy and Mckenzie exercises once a day and four times a week respectively, for three weeks. The traction group (n=15) also received traction therapy and Mckenzie exercises for the same period. Muscle tone was measured with a myotonometer, and the disk height was measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), before the interventions. Three weeks later, we investigated the therapeutic effect by repeating these measurements. The difference in disk height between the two groups was not significant. There was a significant difference in the disk herniation index (p<.05). A significant difference was found only in the upper trapezius muscle after comparison of muscle tone and stiffness between the groups (p<.05). Findings from this study suggest that the decompression therapy is a more effective intervention for patients with cervical intervertebral disc herniation.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

Objectives : The propose of this study was to observe the correlation between Cervical hypolordosis and radiological result. Methods : We randomly selected among the 110 patients with X-ray and C-spine MRI films who have visited Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine with neck pain. Radiographic measures of cervical lordosis and herniated disc were collected, and statistically analyzed. Results : In this study, if the finding of a X-ray showed straightening of cervical lordotic curve, based on MRI finging, the amount of herniation was more severe. Conclusions : There was a significant correlation between Cervical hypolordosis and herniated disc. Hypolordosis group complained a severe herniated disc.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.186-195
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• 2022

Objective : To explore the histological feature of the cervical disc degeneration in patients with degenerative ossification (DO) and its potential mechanisms. Methods : A total of 96 surgical segments, from cervical disc degenerative disease patients with surgical treatment, were divided into ossification group (group O, n=46) and non-ossification group (group NO, n=50) based on preoperative radiological exams. Samples of disc tissues and osteophytes were harvested during the decompression operation. The hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson trichrome staining and Safranin O-fast green staining were used to compare the histological differences between the two groups. And the distribution and content of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 between the two groups were compared by a semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. Results : For all the disc tissues, the content of disc cells and collagen fibers decreased gradually from the outer annulus fibrosus (OAF) to the central nucleus pulposus (NP). Compared with group NO, the number of disc cells in group O increased significantly. But for proteoglycan in the inner annulus fibrosus (IAF) and NP, the content in group O decreased significantly. IHC analysis showed that TGF-β1, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3 were detected in all tissues. For group O, the content of TGF-β1 in the OAF and NP was significantly higher than that in group NO. For p-Smad2 in IAF and p-Smad3 in OAF, the content in group O were significantly higher than group NO. Conclusion : Histologically, cervical disc degeneration in patients with DO is more severe than that without DO. Local higher content of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3 are involved in the disc degeneration with DO. Further studies with multi-approach analyses are needed to better understand the role of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway in the disc degeneration with DO.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.452-458
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• 2012

Objective : In the present study, we evaluated the effect, safety and radiological outcomes of cervical hybrid surgery (cervical disc prosthesis replacement at one level, and interbody fusion at the other level) on the multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD). Methods : Fifty-one patients (mean age 46.7 years) with symptomatic multilevel cervical spondylosis were treated using hybrid surgery (HS). Clinical [neck disability index (NDI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score] and radiologic outcomes [range of motion (ROM) for cervical spine, adjacent segment and arthroplasty level] were evaluated at routine postoperative intervals of 1, 6, 12, 24 months. Review of other similar studies that examined the HS in multilevel cervical DDD was performed. Results : Out of 51 patients, 41 patients received 2 level hybrid surgery and 10 patients received 3 level hybrid surgery. The NDI and VAS score were significantly decreased during the follow up periods (p<0.05). The cervical ROM was recovered at 6 and 12 month postoperatively and the mean ROM of inferior adjacent segment was significantly larger than that of superior adjacent segments after surgery. The ROM of the arthoplasty level was preserved well during the follow up periods. No surgical and device related complications were observed. Conclusion : Hybrid surgery is a safe and effective alternative to fusion for the management of multilevel cervical spondylosis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2006

Background: A cervical transforaminal steroid injection is an effective therapeutic modality for radiculopathy of a herniated cervical disc or a cervical foraminal stenosis. However, there is some debate regarding the safety of the transforaminal approach under C-arm guidance compared with the posterior interlaminar approach. We report a new technique for cervical transforaminal steroid injection guided by MDCT. Methods: Patients presenting with radiating pain on their shoulder or arm were diagnosed using CT or MRI of a cervical herniated disc or a foraminal stenosis. Each patient whose symptoms were compatible with the image scan was enrolled in this study. They received a cervical transforaminal steroid injection under CT guidance, and the effectiveness and complications of this technique were evaluated over a 2-month period. Results: According to the CT scan, none of the participants had an internal jugular vein or a carotid artery invasion during the procedure. No vertebral artery injection was noted, and no patient developed a hematoma after the injection. The VAS score had improved significantly by 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the injection. Conclusions: While a conventional C-arm guided cervical transforaminal steroid injection does not appear to differentiate between the major vessels and structures in images, a CT guided approach is a more useful and safer technique for the precise placement of a needle.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.419-422
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• 2010

Objective : To analyze the clinical outcomes of computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided selective neve root block (SNRB) for severe arm pain caused by acute cervical disc herniation. Methods : The authors analyzed the data obtained from 25 consecutive patients who underwent CT fluoroscopy-guided SNRB for severe arm pain, i.e., a visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 8 points or more, caused by acute soft cervical disc herniation. Patients with chronic arm pain, motor weakness, and/or hard disc herniation were excluded. Results : The series comprised 19 men and 6 women whose mean age was 48.1 years (range 35-72 years). The mean symptom duration was 17.5 days (range 4-56 days) and the treated level was at C5-6 in 13 patients, C6-7 in 9, and both C5-6 and C6-7 in 3. Twenty-three patients underwent SNRB in 1 session and 2 underwent the procedure in 2 sessions. No complications related to the procedures occurred. At a mean follow-up duration of 11.5 months (range 6-22 months), the mean VAS score and NDI significantly improved from 9 and 58.2 to 3.4 and 28.1, respectively. Eighteen out of 25 patients (72%) showed successful clinical results. Seven patients (28%) did not improve after the procedure, and 5 of these 7 underwent subsequent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Conclusion : CT fluoroscopy-guided SNRB may play a role as a primary conservative treatment for severe arm pain caused by acute cervical disc herniation.