Effectiveness and Safety of Korean Medicine for Lumbar Stenosis Patients With Sciatica

Herbal medicine will be administered 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).

Chuna is a Korean spinal manipulation that incorporates spinal manipulation techniques for joint 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 will be administered to pelvic, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical vertebrae at the physician's discretion.

Bee venom pharmacopuncture will be administered only after confirming a negative response to hypersensitivity skin test. Diluted bee venom (saline:bee venom ratio, 10,000:1) filtered for allergens will be injected at 4-5 acupoints proximal to the dysfunctional site at the physician's discretion. Each acupuncture point will be 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).

Pharmacopuncture consisting of select herbal ingredients will be administered 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).

Acupuncture treatment will be administered using mainly proximal acupuncture points and Ah-shi points.

Electroacupuncture treatment will be administered using mainly proximal acupuncture points and Ah-shi points.

Cupping treatment will be administered at 1-2 points using mainly proximal acupuncture points and Ah-shi points.

Patients will be allowed any other additional intervention(s) as deemed necessary by the attending physician regardless of type or dose, and patterns of use will be investigated and recorded as an pragmatic clinical study.