Disc Resorption in Lumbar and Cervical Disc Herniation Patients Receiving Integrative Korean Medicine Treatment

Herbal medicine was administered 2-3 times daily in water-based decoction (120ml) and dried powder (2g) form (Ostericum koreanum, Eucommia ulmoides, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, Achyranthes japonica, Psoralea corylifolia, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Cibotium barometz, Lycium chinense, Boschniakia rossica, Cuscuta chinensis, Glycine max, Atractylodes japonica).

Acupuncture treatment was administered 1-2 times daily using mainly proximal acupuncture points and Ah-shi points.

Select herbal ingredients (Eucommia ulmoides cortex, Acanthopanax sessiliflorum cortex, Achyranthis bidentata radix, Saposhnikovia divaricata radix, Cibotium barometz rhizoma, Paeonia albiflora radix alba, Ostericum koreanum radix, Angelica pubescens radix, and Scolopendra subspinipes corpus (Paeonia albiflora twice the proportion of that of other ingredients)) were freeze dried into powder form after decoction, then diluted in water-for-injection and adjusted for acidity and pH. Pharmacopuncture was administered once daily at Hyeopcheok (Huatuo Jiaji, EX B2), Ah-shi points and local acupuncture points using disposable injection needles (CPL, 1 cc, 26G x 1.5 syringe, Shinchang medical co., Korea).

Bee venom pharmacopuncture was administered only after confirming a negative response to hypersensitivity skin tests. Diluted bee venom (saline:bee venom ratio, 10,000:1) filtered for allergens was injected at 4-5 acupoints proximal to the painful site at the physician's discretion. Each acupuncture point was injected to a total of 0.5-1 cc using disposable injection needles (CPL, 1 cc, 26G x 1.5 syringe, Shinchang medical co., Korea).

Chuna is a Korean version of spinal manipulation that incorporates spinal manipulation techniques for mobilization involving high-velocity, low amplitude thrusts to joints slightly beyond the passive range of motion and gentle force to joints within the passive range of movement. Chuna manipulation was administered 3-5 times a week to pelvic, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical vertebrae at the physician's discretion.