• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2021

Foot drop due to lumbar disc herniation is perceived to be an indication for surgery. A 44-year-old male presented with motor deficit in left ankle dorsiflexion along with radiating pain and paraesthesia. Motion Style Acupuncture Therapy (MSAT) was administered on the left side every other day. Acupuncture and Chuna were performed daily. Herbal medicine was taken 3 times a day. His symptoms rapidly improved throughout treatment, verified by decreased Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), increased 5-level EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) scores, and improved motor grades. We suggest that a combination of MSAT with traditional Korean medicine could be a favorable option for foot drop in LDH patients in terms of rapid pain reduction and the improvement of quality of life.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.110-120
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• 2016

Objectives: The object of this study is to report a clinical effect of oriental medical treatments with Chuna for acute low back pain during the early stages of pregnancy.Methods: The patient in this case, 31 years-old female was admitted for 1days (20th/June/2016-30th/June/2016) due to the acute low back pain on the 7 weeks of pregnancy. We diagnosed as 挫閃腰痛, 傷筋 (Sprain and strain of lumbar spine) and treated with Chuna therapy and other conservative treatments including acupuncture herbal mixture. And we measured Visual Analog Score (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), McGill pain questionnaire-short form (SF-MPQ).Results: After treatments, Visual Analog Score (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), McGill pain questionnaire-short form (SF-MPQ) were significantly improved in case.Conclusion: Oriental medical treatments with Chuna manual therapy were associated with improvement of acute low back pain during the early stages of pregnancy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.515-521
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• 2009

Objective : The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM) for recurrent disc herniation. Methods : Fifty-four patients, who underwent surgery, either PELD (25 patients) or repeated OLM (29 patients), due to recurrent disc herniation at L4-5 level, were divided into two groups according to the surgical methods. Excluded were patients with sequestrated disc, calcified disc, severe neurological deficit, or instability. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Radiological variables were assessed using plain radiography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Results : Mean operating time and hospital stay were significantly shorter in PELD group (45.8 minutes and 0.9 day, respectively) than OLM group (73.8 minutes and 3.8 days, respectively) (p < 0.001). Complications occurred in 4% in PELD group and 10.3% in OLM group in the perioperative period. At a mean follow-up duration of 34.2 months, the mean improvements of back pain, leg pain, and functional improvement were 4.0, 5.5, and 40.9% for PELD group and 2.3, 5.1, and 45.0% for OLM group, respectively. Second recurrence occurred in 4% after PELD and 10.3% after OLM. Disc height did not change after PELD, but significantly decreased after OLM (p = 0.0001). Neither sagittal rotation angle nor volume of multifidus muscle changed significantly in both groups. Conclusion : Both PELD and repeated OLM showed favorable outcomes for recurrent disc herniation, but PELD had advantages in terms of shorter operating time, hospital stay, and disc height preservation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exercise therapy on low back pain (LBP), the function of paraspinal and abdominis muscles, and the sacrohorizontal angle as seen on the radiographs of the lumbar spine in a young female golf player with LBP. METHODS: This case report describes an 11-year-old female golfer who presented with LBP. The exercise therapy program comprised lumbar joint mobilization, lumbar spine flexion distraction, abdominal bridge, plank, side plank, and single-leg extensions from a 4-point kneeling position for 40 min/day; this was done twice a week for 8-weeks. LBP [visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI)] and function of paraspinal and abdominis muscles [Ito test, curl-up test, $90^{\circ}$ stop test, squat test, opened eye one leg stance test (OEOL), and closed eye one leg stance test (CEOL)] were measured before and after 4 and 8 weeks of exercise therapy. The radiographs were analyzed for the lumbar Cobb's angle and sacrohorizontal angle before and after 8 weeks of exercise therapy. RESULTS: After 4 and/or 8 weeks of exercise therapy, VAS and ODI scores decreased; results for the Ito test, curl-up test, $90^{\circ}$ stop test, squat test, and OEOL and CEOL of muscle function improved; and the lumbar Cobb's angle and sacrohorizontal angle improved. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that exercise therapy improves LBP, muscle function, and radiographic parameters associated with LBP in young golf players. These findings have clinical implications for exercise therapy in young female golf players who have LBP.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2013

Objective : We compared the results of two surgical techniques by retrospective study of 60 elderly patients (65 years or older) who underwent either decompression alone or fusion for the treatment of two-level or more lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods : During the period of 2003 and 2008, two-level or more decompression alone or fusion was performed for lumbar spinal stenosis by three surgeons at our institution. Patients were allocated to two groups by surgical modality, namely, to a decompression group (31 patients) or a fusion group (29 patients). Overall mean age was 71.1 years (range, 65-84) and mean follow-up was 5.5 years (range, 3-9). A retrospective review of clinical, radiological, and surgical data was conducted. Results : No significant difference between the two groups was found with respect to age, follow-up period, surgical levels, or preoperative condition. At the last follow-up, correction of lumbar lordotic angle (determined radiologically) was better in the fusion group. However, clinical outcomes including visual analogue scale, Oswestry Disability Index, and the Odom's criteria were not significantly different in the two groups. On the other hand, surgical outcomes, such as, operation time, estimated blood loss, and surgical complications were significantly better in the decompression alone group. Conclusion : Our findings suggest that decompressive laminectomy alone achieves good outcomes in patients with two-level or more lumbar spinal stenosis, associated with an advanced age, poor general condition, or osteoporosis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.39-47
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• 2016

Objectives : This study was conducted to examine the clinical effects of thread embedding acupuncture on lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients. Methods : This is a retrospective study based on clinical charts. Despite the treatments of acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and physical therapy during admission period, 10 lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients who had shown few improvements in their symptoms were selected as subjects. Thread embedding acupuncture was conducted to reduce patient pain. Patient progress was categorized into three periods based on when the embedding procedure performed. Verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and a 5 step evaluation scale for satisfaction were used to analyze the outcome. Results : Regarding comparison of VNRS improvement rate, both 3 and 6 days after embedding progress showed significant difference compared to before embedding progress. ODI improvement rate showed significant difference only 6 days after embedding progress. Patients' satisfaction with treatment had increased by several degrees. Conclusion : Thread embedding acupuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients may be effective in reducing pain and improving their quality of life.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.501-505
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• 2010

Objective : This study was undertaken to compare the diagnostic performances of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MR myelography (MRM) and myelography in young soldiers with a herniated lumbar disc (HLD). Methods : Sixty-five male soldiers with HLD comprised the study cohort. A visual analogue scale for low back pain (VAS-LBP), VAS for leg radiating pain (VAS-LP), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were applied. Lumbar MR, MRM, and myelographic findings were checked and evaluated by four independent radiologists, respectively. Each radiologist was asked to score (1 to 5) the degree of disc protrusion and nerve root compression using modified grading systems devised by the North American Spine Society and Pfirrmann and the physical examination rules for conscription in the Republic of Korea. Correlated coefficients between clinical and radiological factors were calculated. Interpretational reproducibility between MRI and myelography by four bases were calculated and compared. Results : Mean patient age was $20.5{\pm}1.1$. Mean VAS-LBP and VAS-LP were $6.7{\pm}1.6$ and $7.4{\pm}1.7$, respectively. Mean ODI was $48.0{\pm}16.2%$. Mean MRI, MRM, and myelography scores were $3.3{\pm}0.9$, $3.5{\pm}1.0$, and $3.9{\pm}1.1$, respectively. All scores of diagnostic performances were significantly correlated (p < 0.05). However, none of these scores reflected the severity of patients' symptoms. There was no statistical difference of interpretational reproducibility between MRI and myelography. Conclusion : Although MRI and myelography are based on different principles, they produce similar interpretational reproducibility in young soldiers with a HLD. However, these modalities do not reflect the severity of symptoms.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

Objectives : The present study examines the domestic trend of Chuna treatments on lumbar spinal disorder in Korea. Methods : We investigated the studies on Chuna treatments for lumbar spinal disorder via searching 10 Korean web databases. As a result, 63 research papers were found to be analyzed according to their published year, the titles of journals, the types of study, the techniques of Chuna, the instruments for assessment, the Chuna technique and the number of the treatment trials by the cases of lumbar spinal disorder and ethical approvals. Results : The number of the research papers published tends to increase every year. The studies on Chuna treatments were mainly published in The Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine for Spine & Nerves. The most frequently adopted technique of Chuna in the examined studies was Cox flexion & distraction technique. Visual analogue scale(VAS), oswestry disability questionnaire(ODI) were used as primary means of assessments. The ethical problems of the examined studies needed to be improved. Conclusion : Reviewing the domestic trend of studies on Chuna treatments for lumbar spinal disorder and examining the strong and weak points of those treatments are essential for the future studies. It is anticipated that this review benefits the future in-depth study on the treatments for Chuna in Korean medicine.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.119-126
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of Korean medical treatments combined with acupotomy on patients diagnosed with a herniated intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of twenty in patients diagnosed with a herniated intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine. They had received Korean medical treatment combined with acupotomy on tender points in the gluteus minimus muscle and piriformis muscle at Gwangju Korean Medicine Hospital of Dong-Shin University from April, 2014 to December, 2014. To evaluate the efficacy of the treatments, the twenty in patients were asked to complete the Numerical Rating Scale(NRS) and the Oswestry Disability Index(ODI) before acupotomy, the first day after acupotomy, the third day after acupotomy, and the fifth day after acupotomy. Results : 1. NRS significantly decreased from $6.15{\pm}1.27$ to $3.90{\pm}1.45$. 2. ODI significantly decreased from $23.64{\pm}8.76$ to $15.95{\pm}7.35$. Conclusions : Korean medical treatment combined with acupotomy on tender points in the gluteus minimus muscle and piriformis muscle might be effective in reducing pain and improving the life quality of patients with a herniated intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine. We hope that further studies will be done to produce more clinical data and ensure effective application of these results.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.230-237
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of Korean medicine combination treatments for recurring back pain after medical procedures. Methods: This was a retrospective study performed on 311 patients admitted to Daejoen Jaseng hospital who were diagnosed with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral discs. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether or not they had undergone at least one medical procedure on the lumbar spine. They were assessed with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol-5 Dimensions Index (EQ-5D) before and after treatment. Results: Patients who experienced a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group A), statistically significantly improved EQ-5D and ODI scores. The NRS scores also decreased however it was not statistically significant. Patients who had not undergone a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group B) had statistically significantly improved ODI and NRS scores. The average EQ-5D score decreased however, there was no statistically significant difference before and after scores in Group B. There was no statistically significant difference in variation in EQ-5D, ODI, and NRS scores before and after treatment between the groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that even after a bilateral procedure and surgery, when pain in patients with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral disc did not decrease, (as in failed back surgery syndrome), Korean medicine combination treatment of postoperative pain was helpful and there was improvement in daily life.